Softball Sweeps Indiana State, Opens MVC Play At 2-0

DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University softball team swept a doubleheader against Indiana State Saturday (March 19) to open its Missouri Valley Conference season at 2-0. The Bulldogs earned 2-0 and 5-4 victories over the Sycamores.

Jenna DeLong (Dalton Gardens, Idaho) was dominant in the circle during Drake's game one, 2-0 victory. The senior tossed a complete-game four-hitter, walked one and struck out six to move to 8-4 on the season.

The Bulldogs (14-11, 2-0 MVC) scored a run each in the third and fourth innings. Junior Torey Craddock's (Tucson, Ariz.) sacrifice fly to right scored junior Jaimie Duffek (Brookfield, Ill.), who doubled to left-center to begin the third inning. Freshman Jordan Gronewold (Carlisle, Iowa) scored on a fourth-inning error by Indiana State to give Drake its final tally.

Ron Buel Field's new scoreboard evaded five home runs in game two, including three by the Bulldogs.

DeLong's fifth homer of the year led off the contest for Drake and gave senior starter Brynne Dordel (Chanhassen, Minn.) a 1-0 lead after the first. Dordel ceded a second-inning, two-run shot to Danielle Ketner and a fourth-inning solo homer to Stephanie Jonson that put Indiana State up 3-1 after the top of the fourth.

Gronewold gave Drake the lead in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run shot to right center, driving in sophomore Lindsey Vande Wall (Prairie City, Iowa) and senior Erin Mollohan (Tinley Park, Ill.) and giving Drake 4-3 advantage.

A solo shot by Mollohan in the fifth put the Bulldogs up 5-3. The Sycamores rallied with a run in the seventh, but Dordel closed the door to earn her fifth win of the season.

Dordel weathered a seven-hit Sycamore effort, allowing four runs and striking out seven to help Drake win its second MVC contest.

Mollohan was 3-for-3 in game two. Her fifth-inning homer was her third of the season.

The Bulldogs go for the three-game sweep over Indiana State Sunday at noon.

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