CARBONDALE, ILL. ?- Drake senior second baseman Jaci Faidley (Colfax, Iowa) hit a two run home run in the first inning, a three run home run in the fourth inning and a two run inside the park home run in the sixth inning to set two State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Softball Tournament records for single-game home runs and RBI as the Bulldogs downed Wichita State, 8-4, in first round action Thursday.

The Bulldogs will next face top-seeded Creighton at noon on Friday.

Senior center fielder Kristin Birocci (Des Moines, Iowa) reached on a single before Faidley hit her first home run in the first inning.

Senior Susan Slycord (West Des Moines, Iowa) scored on a wild pitch by Shockers' pitcher Brianna Smet to move Drake to 3-0 over Wichita State in the third frame.

The Bulldogs threatened to score more runs in the third inning with two runners on but the Shockers limited the Bulldogs pulling off the rare nine-one-two double play ending the inning.

In the fourth inning, sophomore third baseman Carrie Hatfield (Des Moines, Iowa) and Birocci singled and advanced to third and second base, respectively, on an error by Shockers' right fielder Lindsie Mitts before Faidley hit her second home run of the game, moving the Bulldogs to a 6-0 lead.

Wichita State cut into the Bulldogs lead by scoring four runs on six hits in the fourth inning, cutting the Bulldogs lead to 6-4.

The Shockers threatened the next inning with runners at the corners, but Drake catcher Slycord got the third out after fielding a wild pitch by relief pitcher Mandy Osborn (Blair, Neb.) then dove at the plate to get Mitts at the plate.

Faidley recorded an inside-the-park home run in the sixth inning to plate senior Marilyn Buss (West Des Moines, Iowa) when Wichita State's left fielder Kourtney Bell and Mitts collided in right-center field, taking an 8-4 lead.

The Shockers out hit the Bulldogs 10-9, but stranded eight runners on base to the Bulldogs' six.

Faidley's three home runs and seven RBI led the Bulldogs at the plate.

Freshman pitcher Brynne Dordel (Chanhassen, Minn.) earned her 17th win of the season, pitching four and two-thirds innings. Osborn pitched two and one-third innings in relief of Dordel, only allowing two hits and holding the Shockers run less in her third save of the season.