Drake Softball Defeats BYU, 3-0, to Set up Rematch Against Top Seeded Oregon

EUGENE, Ore. – Freshman Nicole Timmons (Davenport, Iowa) pitched a complete game with 10 strikeouts for the Drake University softball team in a 3-0 win over BYU Friday night in an NCAA Tournament elimination game at Jane Sanders Stadium.
 
Senior Kailee Smith (Murrieta, Calif.) led the Drake (45-11) offense with a 2-for-4 performance at the plate, including driving in the Bulldogs' first two runs. Freshman Macy Johnson (Winterset, Iowa) also went 2-for-4.
 
Timmons held BYU (36-22) to just three hits and worked around two walks, a hit batter and a wild pitch. She improved to 14-4 with victory as Drake will have a rematch against No. 1 seed, Oregon, on Saturday at 4 p.m. PDT. The Ducks defeated the Bulldogs, 5-0, earlier on Friday. ESPN will determine broadcast information for the rematch with Oregon by Saturday morning.
 
Smith put the Bulldogs on the scoreboard first, driving in a pair with an RBI single to centerfield, in the their first at bat of the night. The action started for the Bulldogs with a one-out walk by junior Kennedy Frank (Chesterfield, Mo.) followed by a double to right by Johnson. Junior Taryn Pena (Columbia, Ill.) then hit into a fielders choice to third as Frank made her way safely back to third, but Johnson was tagged out as Pena made it to second. Smith then lined a shot into center that plated Frank and Pena.
 
Drake added to its lead in the sixth inning behind patience at the plate and another big hit by Smith. Pena and sophomore Sarah Maddox (Henderson, Nev.) drew walks with a double off the wall by Smith in between to load the bases. Redshirt junior Nicole Newman (Murrieta, Calif.) pinch hit and drew a walk to score pinch runner Libby Ryan (Mount Vernon, Iowa) and give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead.
 
Timmons only allowed two hits after the fourth inning and made quick work of the Cougars in the final inning. She retired the first two hitters via a groundout and foul out before Brooke Vander Heide struck out to end the game.

Drake Softball Falls to No. 1 Seed Oregon, 5-0
 
EUGENE, Ore. – Megan Kleist, the 2018 Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year, threw a complete game one-hitter for No. 1 seed Oregon Friday afternoon in a 5-0 victory over the Drake University softball team in the NCAA Tournament at Jane Sanders Stadium.
 
Kleist finished with 11 strikeouts and improved to 21-5. Nicole Newman (Madison, Wis.) fell to 22-4 with the loss. Newman pitched 4.1 innings and allowed four runs on seven hits with three walks and one strikeout. Kailee Smith (Murrieta, Calif.) tossed 1.2 innings in relief and allowed one run on two hits with one walk.
 
Freshman Macy Johnson (Winterset, Iowa) broke up Kleist's perfect game in the seventh inning with a two-out single into centerfielder. Junior Taryn Pena (Columbia, Ill.) was hit by a pitch after Johnson's hit, but Smith flied out to right field to end the game.
 
Oregon (49-7) will play Saturday at 4 p.m. PDT while Drake (44-11) will play later tonight at 8 p.m. PDT against the winner of Albany and BYU. The Cougars and Great Danes will play each other in an elimination game after the Drake and Oregon contest. The winner of Friday's 8 p.m. elimination game will take on the Ducks Saturday afternoon.
 
Oregon scored its first run in the first inning, capitalizing on a tough break for Drake. Leadoff hitter Jenna Lilley lined a ball into centerfield for the game's first hit. After a flyout, walk and strikeout it looked like the Bulldogs would escape as Newman got Shannon Rhodes to hit a high pop fly to second base. However, Drake second baseman Kennedy Frank (Chesterfield, Mo.) tripped and fell to the ground as the ball hit the turf and centerfielder Tasha Alexander's (Eddyville, Iowa) throw to the plate was too late as Lilley raced home to give Oregon a 1-0 lead.
 
The Ducks increased their lead, 2-0, in the fourth inning with an RBI double by Lilley. One inning later, a pinch hit two-run home run by Lauren Burke followed by a solo shot by Mary Iakopo pushed Oregon's lead to 5-0.