GREENSBORO – The North Carolina A&T softball fell at the hands of the Drexel Dragons on Sunday afternoon, 6-3, in the final game of their three-game Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) weekend series at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex.

Freshman Aniya Merritt went 2-for-3 with a run, raising her average to .414. The Aggies dropped to 16-29 overall and 3-15 in CAA play. Drexel pitcher Courtney Kols (W, 17-11) earned her third win of the series.

Freshman Maliyah Alexander (L, 3-6) pitched five innings, allowing six hits, three earned runs, one walk, and one strikeout. Senior outfielder Katriel Williams also went 2-for-3.

The bats were going early for Drexel, scoring two runs in the first inning off an RBI single from Natalie Allred and an RBI sacrifice fly from Devyn Demchak. The Dragons rallied for one more run off an A&T error in the second to secure a 3-0 lead. A&T did not back down, however.  They responded with great defense, allowing no runs in the third and coming back with some runs of their own in the bottom half.

A walk to junior Jamari Moss and a Drexel error put sophomore Jaden James on base. Merritt loaded the bases with two outs. Tyra Robinson hit a clutch three-run double to deep center, allowing freshman pinch runner Hailey Darkwa, James, and Merritt to cross the plate to tie the game 3-3. The game stayed tied until the visitors' fifth.

Demchak's two-out RBI single put Drexel back on top, 4-3. The Aggies threatened in the fifth but left Bria Finley at second after failing to capitalize on a Drexel error. Sophomore Lauren Hardy relieved Alexander in the sixth, allowing no runs and striking out one.

A&T tried to regain the lead in its half of the sixth. Sophomore Ayanna Mears and Williams produced back-to-back singles before Kols retired the next two batters. However, a passed ball moved Mears and Williams into scoring position. But Moss flew out to right to end the threat. It proved unfortunate because Macie Bergmann's two-run double gave Drexel a three-run lead at 6-3.

The Aggies threatened again in the seventh after singles by Finley and Merritt, but Robinson grounded into a game-ending double play, clinching the Drexel sweep. Allred led the Dragons, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run.

Next, the Aggies play a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday, April 15, at Coppin State University. First pitch is at 1 p.m.