PHILADELPHIA, PA. – The Towson University softball team earned a split versus Drexel Sunday afternoon in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) action. The Dragons took the opener 15-5, with the Tigers winning the nightcap 6-4.
 
In Game 1, Towson scored five runs in the fifth inning, highlighted by a 2-run single by Madyson Peters. The sophomore catcher had a career-best three hits in the contest. Mackenzie Lake went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI.
 
In Game 2, Rylee Penrod hit a 2-run home run and added a double in a 4-run fifth inning as the Tigers broke a 2-2 tie. Julia Jackson went the distance for her eighth victory of the season. The senior allowed three earned runs and five hits while striking out three batters.
 
Records: 

• Towson – 11-19 (1-5 CAA)
• Drexel – 15-8 (4-2 CAA)

How it Happened (Game 1): 

• Trailing 2-0 in the second inning, Peters and Cori Jones had back-to-back one-out singles, but the Tigers failed to convert.
• Drexel scored nine runs in the bottom of the fourth to break open the game.
• Towson rallied for five runs on four hits in the top of the fifth. Gracyn Houmis singled to leadoff the inning then Ally Hickman walked. Briana Ramirez brought home Houmis with a single to left field. Lake followed with a single to score Hickman. Three batters later, Peters delivered a two-run single to make it 15-4. The Tigers added another run on a wild pitch.

How it Happened (Game 2): 

• Penrod launched a 2-run HR in the second inning off Lindsay Nelson to tie the score at 2. Both of her career HR's have come against Nelson. Penrod hit a pinch hit 3-run shot off Nelson on April 15, 2021, that broke a 5-all tie as the Tigers won at Drexel 8-5.
• Penrod started a 4-run rally in the fifth inning with a double that advanced Houmis to third to improve to 3-for-3 versus Nelson. Nicole Kidwiler hit a sacrifice fly to plate Houmis and give Towson a 3-2 lead.
• The Tigers scored three more times in the inning, all courtesy of Drexel miscues. Penrod scored on an error on a ball hit by Chloe Poulich. With Ramirez on third base, Poulich stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error, while Ramirez scored to increase the advantage to 5-2. Poulich then scored on an infield error on a grounder by Sydni Byers.
• After giving up a 2-run HR in the first inning, Jackson retired 17 of the next 21 batters, allowing just one hit.
• Drexel scored twice in the seventh and had the tying runner at the plate with two outs, but Jackson enticed Ashley Errico to fly out to end the game.  

Inside the Numbers: 

• Ramirez had hits in both games and leads the team with a .374 batting average (34-of-91). She has been on base in 24 of the 30 games this season.   

Next Game: 
Towson will host Georgetown Wednesday afternoon, April 6. The doubleheader begins at 2 p.m. and will be streamed on FloSoftball. The Tigers return to CAA play next weekend with UNCW visiting the TU Softball Complex on Saturday and Sunday.