Drake opened the initial game with a run in the top of the second off a squeeze play by sophomore Erin Mollohan (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) that scored sophomore Erin Bly (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way East).

Eastern Illinois answered with a run in the bottom of the second to knot the score at one apiece.

Drake added two runs in the top of the fifth and three in the top of the seventh, taking a 6-1 lead. In the fifth junior Mandy Osborn (Blair, Neb./Blair) stole home and junior Carrie Hatfield (Des Moines, Iowa/East) scored off a Leon sacrifice bunt.

In the seventh inning Drake got hits from junior Elena Leon (West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley), junior Bridget Shields (Iowa City, Iowa/West) and Bly and took advantage of two Panther errors.

Eastern Illinois scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh but Drake would get out of the inning with two Panther runners left on base.

Leon, Shields and Bly had two hits apiece to lead Drake at the plate. Sophomore Jenna DeLong (Dalton Gardens, Idaho/Coeur d'Alene) moved to 5-5 with the win, striking out six in seven innings for the Bulldogs.

In the second game of the twin bill, Eastern Illinois scored three runs in the bottom of the first to jump to a fast 3-0 lead.

The Bulldogs answered with four runs in the fourth to take a one-run lead at 4-3. Sophomore Molly McClelland (West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley) drew a walk to start the inning. Junior Kelsey Kahler (North Liberty, Iowa), who was running for McClelland, advanced to second on a Hatfield ground out to short. Osborn reached base on a fielding error and Leon walked to load the bases.

Shields drew an RBI walk to put Drake on the board. Back-to-back singles by freshman Torey Craddock (Tucson, Ariz./Salpointe Catholic) and Bly scored Osborn, Shields and Leon to give Drake the lead.

Eastern Illinois would add a run in the fifth to tie the game at four runs apiece and it would remain locked until the bottom of the ninth.

The Panthers would score one run on two hits and an error to secure the win.

Craddock and Bly led Drake with two hit apiece and Bly had a team-leading two RBI.

Osborn and Brynne Dordel (Chanhassen, Minn./Chaska) split the game, throwing 4.0 and 4.2 innings, respectively. Osborn struck out four and allowed four hits while Dordel, collecting the loss, struck out seven and allowed one run.

Drake, which moves to 14-11 (1-2 MVC), travels to SIU-Edwardsville, Wednesday (March 18) for a 1 p.m. double-header.