PHILADELPHIA - The Saint Joseph's softball team scored a season-high 12 runs en route to a 12-2 victory at Drexel in five innings on Wednesday afternoon.
The Hawks (12-14-1) opened the contest in a strong way as they tallied seven runs in the top of the first. Following a leadoff walk by Madeline Brunck and single by Amanda Kulp, Saint Joseph's would jump out to a 2-0 lead on a two-run double by Sarah Yoos.
Yoos came around to score as Kaylyn Zierke drove her home on an RBI double. Zierke would move to third on a single by Hannah Dionne and eventually came in to score on a wild pitch to extend the lead to 4-0.
Following a walk to Raelynn Genovese, rookie Ashley Ventura drilled her first collegiate home run with a three-run shot over the left field wall to make it 7-0 in favor of the Hawks.
Drexel (16-19) answered back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first against Ventura, but that would be all the Hawks would give up on the defensive end.
Genovese opened the second by reaching third base off a fielding error by Drexel's right fielder and came around to score and put SJU up 8-2 on a single up the middle by Taryn Grober.
Ventura worked out of a bases load jam in the second and kept Drexel off the board in the third before giving way to sophomore Madison Clarke.
Clarke set Drexel down in order in the fourth, allowing the Hawks' offense to try to end it early in the fifth.
Behind a four-run fifth, Saint Joseph's opened a 12-2 gap. Brunck scored the first run on a passed ball, while Dionne singled up the middle to score Yoos. Zierke and Grober would score SJU's final two runs on a single off the bat of Genovese.
Despite Drexel's leadoff batter reaching on an error, Clarke and the Hawks' defense set the next three Dragons down in order to close out the win.
In the circle, Clarke improved to 6-4 on the year after striking out two over two scoreless innings of work. Ventura worked 3.0 innings allowing two runs on five hits, while striking out three.
At the plate, Yoos went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Zierke went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Genovese added a pair of runs scored and two RBIs, while Ventura had a game-high three RBIs.
Saint Joseph's returns to action this weekend with a three-game series at Massachusetts. The two teams open with a doubleheader on Saturday starting at noon.
