GREENSBORO – North Carolina A&T softball looked on track to capture a win with many softball alumni in the stands. But the Drexel Dragons made a late-inning surge to ruin those plans, beating the Aggies 6-3 in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex on Saturday.

The Aggies celebrated Softball Alumni Day in style, as softball alumni escorted the current team onto the field during starting lineups. Alumni also joined the team for the National Anthem and a ceremonial first pitch. With the pregame rituals concluded, the current Aggies got off to a strong start and carried momentum into the bottom of the seventh with a chance to secure the win.

After sophomore relief pitcher Lauren Hardy set down the Dragons in order in the visitors' seventh, Drexel pitcher Courtney Kols (W, 16-11), who had beaten the Aggies for the second time in as many days, retired two to start the home seventh. Junior Bria Finley and freshman Aniya Merritt then singled, putting the tying run at the plate with junior Shandi Brown, who flew out to left to end the game. Merritt, the Aggies' leading hitter, went 3-for-4 with a run scored.

The game opened with junior pitcher Devin Long (L, 3-10) producing a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the first. Drexel started a rally in the second, however. Two walks and an error loaded the bases against Long with one out, bringing Mckenna Rowlands to the plate. Rowlands delivered with a two-run RBI single up the middle to give the Dragons a 2-0 lead. A pop-out and groundout got the Aggies out of the inning. They responded in their half of the second.  

Senior Katriel Williams led off the frame with a triple before sophomore Tyra Robinson brought Williams home on an RBI sacrifice fly to left field. Drexel starter Courtney Kols (W, 16-11) retired the next three Aggies to end the inning. Long got stronger over the next two innings, even though she gave up a walk apiece in the third and fourth innings.

Long allowed a two-out double in the fifth but stranded the runner. In the sixth, Devyn Demchak doubled, moved to third on a passed ball, and scored on a steal for a 3-1 Drexel lead. After two outs, Kylah Reading came up.

Reading produced a two-run single to give the Dragons a 5-1 advantage. That led Long to leave the circle for sophomore Lauren Hardy. Olivia Sciulli kept the inning going, however, with an RBI double to give Drexel a five-run lead. The inning ended when Jackie Masone flew out to left field. A&T tried to rally in front of A&T's former softball players.

Freshman Aniya Merritt led off the home sixth inning with a bunt single. Junior Shandi Brown's sac bunt moved Merritt to second for sophomore Ayanna Mears. Mears posted an RBI triple to cut Drexel's lead to four. An error allowed Mears to score and Williams to reach first base before a flyout and a groundout ended A&T's threat, leading to the seventh.

The teams finish the series Sunday at noon at LASC.