LAFAYETTE, La. – The Drake University softball team won a pair of games Saturday at the Mardi Gras Invitational presented by DoubleTree. The Bulldogs defeated Bowling Green, 9-1, in five innings before winning a close game against Mississippi Valley State,10-9, in six innings. The game against Mississippi Valley State was called in the sixth inning due to the Bulldogs' afternoon flight home to Des Moines. Drake went 5-1 at the three-day tournament with its lone loss to host No. 16 Louisiana.
Against Bowling Green, Drake (12-5) was led by freshman
Sarah Maddox (Henderson, Nev.) who had another standout game going 3-3 at the plate with two home runs with three runs scored and five runs batted in. Freshman
Aryka Knoche (Little Canada, Minn.) earned her first win as a Bulldog pitching 5.0 innings giving up one run on four hits and striking out four batters. Sophomore
Taryn Pena (Columbia, Ill.) added a home run and three RBIs
The Bulldogs rallied back in a close game against Mississippi Valley State. Drake took the early 1-0 lead in the first inning before MVSU answered with a five-run second inning.
Abby Buie (Gardner, Kan.) scored on a wild pitch in the second before
Kelsey Wright (Olathe, Kan.) grounded out to third base scoring
Kennedy Frank (Chesterfield, Mo.) in the fourth to pull Drake within two runs. MVSU distanced themselves again adding two runs on a fielding error by Alexander in the fifth inning. The Bulldogs responded with a big fifth inning scoring four runs, tying the game at 7-7.
MVSU scored two runs in the sixth inning to the take the lead back at 9-7. Drake answered in the bottom half of the sixth inning. Alexander and senior
Megan Sowa (Gurnee, Ill.) drew walks and then stole second and third base, respectively, before Maddox drew a walk to load the bases. Junior
Kailee Smith (Murrieta, Calif.) drove in Alexander and Sowa with a double for two runs and then sophomore
Gabbie Jonas (Omaha, Neb.) dropped a squeeze bunt to score Maddox for the game winner.
Smith earned the win in the circle to improve 4-2 on the season. Buie lead the Bulldogs with three hits while Alexander and Smith added two hits.
Drake returns to the road next weekend for the Easton Crimson Classic hosted by No. 10 Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The Bulldogs open the classic on March 3 against Stanford at 11 a.m. followed by a game against Alabama at 6 p.m.
