Errors, Walks Send Drury To Third Straight Loss

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A pair of one-run losses to two of Berkshire County's best teams proved to be a tough break for the Drury softball team. But after Monday afternoon's 12-9 home loss to Saint Joseph's, the Blue Devils now look to be in one serious mid-season slump. 

Drury (9-4) lost its third game in a row on Monday, committing six errors in the field and allowing 10 batters to reach base via walks or by being hit by a pitch. Blue Devils' starter Cat Record, who like her team, looked so sharp in a 9-1 start to the season, had one of her worst outings of the year so far. The sophomore hurler allowed seven earned runs and eight walks in five-plus innings, striking out two before leaving the game early for the first time this season. Junior Sarah Royal finished the game for Drury, striking out two batters in the final one and two-third innings of the game. 

"This was one ugly, wild game with 12 physical errors committed and a whole host of mental errors on the part of both teams," Blue Devils head coach Mary Ann Maroni said. "Tomorrow is another day and although the sun will probably not shine, we will be back at the drawing board figuring out how to return to our winning ways." 

The Crusaders (10-4) chipped away at the Drury defense all game long, scoring two runs an inning in four of the first five frames. The visitors led 6-2 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning, when the Devils stormed back to take the lead with a five-run outburst. Junior Amanda Ramsdell, sophomore Amber Iacuessa and senior Danielle Cardinal each had RBI singles in the fourth, giving the hosts their first lead of the game at 7-6. 

St. Joe's retook the lead by scoring two runs in the top of the fifth and, although the Blue Devils tied it up in the bottom half of the inning, the Crusaders retook the lead for good with three more runs in the sixth. Marissa Avanzato picked up the win in relief for St. Joe's, which also received four runs scored out of starter Chanler Hospot.

Cardinal led a productive Drury offense, going 3-for-5 with an RBI double and three runs batted in. Juniors Allison Gageant and Katie Hancock each collected two hits and one RBI, while senior Lyndsey DeGrenier went 1-for-2 with an RBI, three walks and three runs scored. 

The Devils next play at rival Hoosac Valley at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. 

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