PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – North Carolina A&T softball completed a three-game Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) series against Drexel with a 9-1 loss in five innings on Sunday at Drexel Softball Field. 

Sophomore Makayla Layton doubled in the game, and senior infielder Alyxx Estrada had a hit and an RBI. A&T dropped to 6-21 overall by losing their 13th straight. The Aggies are 0-9 in conference play. Drexel, meanwhile, improved to 8-13 overall and 5-3 in league play. 

The Dragons got off to a fast start against A&T starter Amaya Kearse (L, 1-4), as Jackie Masone hit a two-run home run to left field in the first inning. Drexel added three runs in the second, highlighted by RBI singles from Grace Abbonizio and Izzy Alamillo. This gave the Dragons a 5-0 lead heading into the visitor's third, where they scored their first and only run of the afternoon. 

Freshman Destiny Sims led off the frame with a walk against Drexel starter Allison Hoppe (W, 3-5). Sims stole second, setting up Estrada's RBI single up the middle to score Sims to cut Drexel's lead to 5-1. Hoppe escaped the inning by striking out graduate Brenay Howard and getting junior Joey Barkhimer to hit into an inning-ending double play. 

The Aggies went down in order in the fourth before Layton opened the visitor's fifth with a double. Pinch-hitter Avery Evans moved to Layton to third on a sacrifice bunt, but Sims and Estrada grounded out to end the inning. 

Drexel ended the game in the fifth, igniting the run rule that states the game ends once a team is ahead by eight or more runs after five innings played. The Dragons got to an eight-run lead with a four-run fifth. Abbonizio helped the Dragons get there with a three-run single to give the Dragons an 8-1 lead. Alamillo's RBI single scored Abbonizio to provide Drexel with the win. 

The Aggies will host a three-game CAA series against Hampton at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex, starting with a Friday doubleheader at 1 p.m.