GREENSBORO – North Carolina A&T junior pitcher Aaliyah Williams (L, 7-8) became the first Aggie to reach 100 strikeouts in a season since 2017 in another stellar pitching performance, but it could not propel the Aggies to victory.

A strong Drexel first inning led to the Dragons' 4-0 Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) win over the Aggies on Friday afternoon at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex.

Williams recorded 10 strikeouts, marking the third time this season she has reached double figures. It gave her 108 on the season, the most since Zadaisha Waddell secured 111 and Mohagony Headen recorded 103 strikeouts in 2017. In addition to the 10 Ks, Williams only gave up two hits and a walk.

Yet, the Aggies dropped to 16-27 overall and 3-13 in the CAA. Meanwhile, Drexel got a three-hit, complete-game shutout from Courtney Kols (W, 15-11) that included four strikeouts and a walk to improve to 16-18 overall and 5-8 in league play.  

The top of the first inning proved pivotal. Olivia Sciulli doubled with one out, then advanced to third on a passed ball following Jackie Masone's walk. Masone reached scoring position by stealing second while Natalie Alldred was at bat, setting up the game's first scoring opportunity.

Alldred then hit a groundball to second base, allowing Sciulli to score the game's first run. On the same play, a throwing error enabled Masone to cross home plate, putting Drexel ahead 2-0. Although Williams responded by striking out Devyn Demchak for the second out, Macie Bergmann followed with a two-run homer to left, capping Drexel's decisive four-run first.

Williams ended the inning by striking out her third batter of the inning when she K'ed Mckenna Rowlands. Williams served up a masterpiece from there. The strikeout of Rowlands was the first of 16 straight batters Williams retired until Bergmann reached on an error in the visitors' seventh inning.  

However, the Aggies could not capitalize. Sophomore Ayanna Mears recorded the Aggies' first hit in the home second but was stranded when sophomore Jaden James fouled out. Junior Destiny Sims gave the Aggies their best chance to score when she hit a two-out triple to left field, but a Kols strikeout ended the threat.

A&T got something going again in the fifth when Mears reached on an error. Unfortunately, Mears got caught trying to steal second base. Freshman Taniyah Thomas tried to keep things going with a two-out single before freshman Aniya Merritt grounded out to end the frame.

Kols retired the Aggies in order in the home seventh to end the ballgame. The two teams will play Game 2 from LASC on Saturday at 1 p.m. A&T will mark Softball Alumni Day, celebrating 51 years of Aggie softball—a testament to the program's enduring tradition and spirit.