TOWSON, Md. – With quiet grace and understated elegance, Towson University sophomore catcher
Shelby Stracher stands alone.
After Towson dropped the first game of a Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) doubleheader to Elon, 3-2, Stracher immediately got the Tigers off to an awesome start thanks to a historic swing that left spectators breathless. Stracher's first-inning two-run homer – her record-breaking 14th of the season -- provided the fuel the Tigers needed to earn a 7-3 victory in the second game Saturday afternoon at the Tiger Softball Stadium.
The affable and humble Stracher broke
Holiday Cahill's single-season home run mark of 13 set last year. After Stracher crossed home plate, she was hugged by Cahill.
With one tight powerful motion, Stracher using a pristine and disciplined stroke jumped on the first pitch she saw and destroyed it. The ball quickly took off into the azure skies like a 747 and landed somewhere near BWI Airport. Her thunderclap was also Towson's 50th of the season, another single-season record surpassing the 49 the Tigers hit last season.
While Stracher got Towson off to a great start, senior pitcher
Ambar Hickman did the rest by flummoxing the Phoenix with a smorgasbord of pitches that resembled a butterfly with hiccups. She kept them off-balanced throughout the game until the Tigers, behind
Kendyl Scott's three RBI's, found their groove to pull away late.
Team RecordsTowson improved to 28-11 overall and 5-5 in the CAA. Elon's record went to 23-18 and 7-4.
QuotableStracher on being the single-season record holder for home runs"It's cool to be part of something special (like the home run record) because there's a lot of great hitters on that list including Holiday. It's cool that Holiday is still here because now we can share that together. She has helped me a lot this season."
Hickman on Stracher's defense behind the plate"She's doing a really great job. I think she's maturing and growing as a catcher. With me as a senior, she's not afraid to give me a signal to settle down and that comforts me. She's being a great leader and that's what we need behind the plate."
How It Happened Game One- Brook Miko led the Tigers with two hits, including a RBI single, in the seventh inning.
- Stracher had a RBI double in the fifth inning that tied the game, 1-1.
- Elon's Erica Serafini had a two-run double in the seventh inning that snapped a tie and gave the Phoenix a 3-1 lead.
How It Happened Game Two- After Stracher's two-run homer, Hickman was in control in the circle.
- Hickman finished with three strikeouts.
- Scott had a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning to give Towson a 3-0 lead.
- After the Phoenix scored two runs in the fifth inning to slice the Tigers advantage to 3-2, the game belonged to the Tigers.
- Towson erupted and scored four runs in the fifth inning.
- Miko's RBI double scored Stracher and extended Towson's lead to 4-2.
- Courtney Johnson added a sacrifice fly to give Towson a 5-2 lead.
- Scott came through with the bases loaded and had a two-run single that expanded Towson's bulge to 7-2.
- Scott led the Tigers with two hits and three RBIs.
- Stracher reached base three times.
- Daria Edwards also reached base twice for the Tigers.
- Kara Shutt and Emily Roper had two hits each to lead Elon.
Inside The Numbers- This was Scott's 10th multi-hit game of the season.
- This was the second time Scott has finished with three RBIs in a single game.
- Miko and Scott extended their hitting streaks to seven games.
- Cahill has reached base in seven consecutive games.
- Stracher has 17 multi-RBI games.
- Six of Stracher's 14 homers have come against CAA opponents.
- Stracher raised her season average to .443.
- With her 30 RBIs, Miko becomes the third Towson player with at least 30 RBIs.
- Towson has scored 54 runs in the fifth inning.
- Towson extended its winning streak to 34 when scoring at least seven runs.
- The Tigers are 21-1 this season when scoring at least six runs.
- Towson has hit at least one home run in 27 games.
- Megan Dejter threw her team-leading 17th complete game.
- Hickman's complete game was her seventh.
On DeckTowson and Elon conclude the three-game series Sunday, April 17 beginning at 1 p.m.