PEORIA, Ill. – The Drake University softball team swept the Bradley Braves Saturday in a Missouri Valley Conference doubleheader at Peterson Hotels Field in Peoria. Drake won the first game by a score of a 5-0 and then rallied to take the second game by a score of 5-3.
The Bulldogs snapped a five-game losing streak with the pair of wins to improve their overall record to 22-24 and 5-14 in MVC play.
In the first game, Drake wasted little time taking the lead with two runs in the first inning. Freshman
Sarah Maddox (Henderson, Nev.) had an RBI groundout for the first run and senior
Megan Sowa (Gurnee, Ill.) scored on a Bradley (19-27, 5-14 MVC) wild pitch to lead 2-0.
Sophomore
Taryn Pena (Columbia, Ill.) drove in the Bulldogs' next two runs. The first run came courtesy of an RBI double in the third inning that plated
Mandi Roemmich (West Des Moines, Iowa) and later in the sixth inning she drew a bases loaded walk to bring in the next run to lead 4-0. Senior
Kaitlyn Finneran (Morrison, Ill.) added an insurance run in the seventh as she scored on a passed ball by the Braves.
Junior
Kailee Smith (Murrieta, Calif.) was dominant in the circle as she allowed just two hits and two walks in her second career shutout.
In the second game, Bradley scored the game's first run in the second inning to lead 1-0. Drake answered the next inning with two runs. The first run was scored on a RBI infield single by Smith and the next run came on a double steal by sophomore pinch runner
Melissa Schlotzhauer (Pilot Grove, Mo.) and Sowa after Schlotzhauer stole second and Sowa raced home to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead. The lead didn't last long as the Braves scored two runs in the next inning to lead 3-2. Drake quickly answered again as Finneran tied the game at 3-3 with a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning.
The game stayed at 3-3 going into the sixth inning before sophomore
Gabbie Jonas (Omaha, Neb.) singled down the left field line to score junior
Tasha Alexander (Eddyville, Iowa) and two batters later Roemmich dropped a bunt to third base that plated freshman
Abby Buie (Gardner, Kan.).
Smith picked up her second win of the day after she pitched 3.1 innings in relief and allowed just one hit with one walk and three strikeouts. The two wins improved her record to 13-15 on the season. Smith also led Drake's offense with three hits while sophomore
Kennedy Frank (Chesterfield, Mo.) added two hits.
The teams will play Sunday morning at 11 a.m. in the series finale. The game will not be broadcast on
The Valley on ESPN3. Following Sunday's game, Drake will play at UNI on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. The in-state game versus the Panthers will also not be broadcast on
The Valley on ESPN3.
