NORMAL, ILL. ? Senior Jaci Faidley (Colfax, Iowa) and freshman Erin Mollohan (Tinley Park, Ill.) hit back-to-back solo home runs in the seventh inning to tie the game at 4-4. But the Drake softball team ultimately fell to Illinois State, 5-4, in eight innings.

Faidley hit a two out home run to get the Bulldogs on the score board in the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead.

Mollohan drove in senior Marilyn Buss (West Des Moines, Iowa) on a fielder's choice in the third inning taking a two run lead for the Bulldogs.

The Redbirds answered back with a run in the bottom of the third inning and three more run sin the fifth to take a 4-2 lead.

The Bulldogs out hit Illinois State, 8-5, but left ten runners on base.

Faidley and Mollohan led Drake with two hits and two RBI, while six batters had a hit for the Bulldogs.

Freshman pitcher Jenna DeLong (Dalton Gardens, Minn.) took the loss for Drake falling to 5-8.

Drake hosts Missouri-Kansas City for a doubleheader at 3 p.m. on Tuesday.