MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. - The Drake softball team opened its 2009 campaign with a convincing 6-2 victory over Green Bay at the Metrodome Classic in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on Friday (Feb. 13).

Sophomore Jenna DeLong (Dalton Gardens, Idaho/Coeur d'Alene) went the distance in the circle for the Bulldogs as scattering four hits en route to striking out a career-high 13 in netting the victory to push Drake to 1-0 while dropping the Phoenix to 5-2 overall.

The Bulldogs got the scoring started in the top of the first as junior Bridget Shields (Iowa City, Iowa/West) delivered a one-out double to left center before sophomore Erin Bly (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way East) reached on an infield error to put runners on the corners.  Sophomore Erin Mollohan (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) made the Phoenix pay belting a Kate Cooney offering over the wall in left for a home run to give Drake a 3-0 advantage.

DeLong responded by retiring the first five batters in the game, three on strikeouts, before Cooney knocked a single to left with two down in the bottom of the second inning.  DeLong worked out of trouble fanning Samantha Schmeltzer to end the frame.

Bly led off the top of third with a double to right center and later came across the dish with the Bulldogs' fourth run on an RBI single by Mollohan, her fourth RBI of the contest.  Mollohan advanced to third on the play courtesy of a throwing error by the Green Bay centerfielder.  Freshman Torey Craddock (Tucson, Ariz./Salpointe Catholic) then walked before the Bulldogs pulled off a double steal with Craddock taking second and Mollohan swiping home to give Drake a 5-0.  An RBI single from junior Kelsey Kahler (North Liberty, Iowa/Clear-Creek Amana) concluded Drake's scoring in the inning and in the game to push the margin to 6-0.

Green Bay scored both their tallies on a two RBI single through the ride side by Kendra Woepse

Molllohan finished the contest 3-for-4 at the plate with four RBI and two runs scored.  Adding one hit apiece was Shields, Bly and Kahler

Cooney paced the Phoenix attack with two hits, while Cooney allowed six runs, three earned, in four innings on the mound.  Schmeltzer worked the final three innings for Green Bay allowing only one hit.

Drake returns to the field this evening as the Bulldogs battle Arkansas at 6:00 p.m.