DES MOINES, IOWA -- Senior
Jaci Faidley (Colfax, Iowa) put an exclamation point on her final home game as a Drake softball player by doubling-home the winning runs in the sixth inning of the Bulldogs' 3-2 come from behind victory over Wichita State in the teams season finale Sunday.
With the win the Bulldogs complete regular season action with a 26-24 mark, its most wins since the 2005 season. Drake locked up the no. 4 seed in the upcoming State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Championship that begins Thursday in Carbondale, Ill.
Senior
Marilyn Buss (West Des Moines, Iowa) plated Drake's first run of the sixth inning when she singled to drive in sophomore
Kelsey Kahler (North Liberty, Iowa).
The Shockers scored a run in each the second and fifth frames and threatened with two runners on base in the seventh, but a pop out by Katie McGeeney ended the threat.
Freshman pitcher
Brynne Dordel (Chanhassen, Minn.) pitched all seven innings, striking out six batters and earning her 16th win of the season, which places her tied at sixth on the Drake single-season chart.
Buss, Faidley, senior
Kristin Birocci (Des Moines, Iowa), freshman
Jenna DeLong and Kahler each recorded a hit in Drake's five hit performance.
Prior to the game, Buss, Faidley Birocci and
Susan Slycord (West Des Moines, Iowa) were honored in the Bulldogs' senior day celebration.