Thursday, March 31, 2011

DES MOINES, Iowa - The Drake University softball team split its non-conference doubleheader with South Dakota State, Thursday, winning game one 6-5 and dropping game two 4-3. The Bulldogs moved to 18-12 on the season and snapped a seven-game winning streak.

Junior Torey Craddock (Tucson, Ariz.) was the hero in the opener after erasing a 4-2 Jackrabbit lead with a three-run home run, her fifth, in the fourth inning. Craddock moved her average to a team-best .347 with three hits on the day and extended her hitting streak to a season-long seven games. The junior is batting .455 over her last 10 games.

Freshman Amy Pierce (Olathe, Kan.) scored three of Drake's six runs in the opener and tallied two hits.

Senior Brynne Dordel (Chanhassen, Minn.) weathered a rocky start to win her seventh game of the season (7-7). Dordel struck out nine and allowed five runs on seven hits in the win.

Senior Jenna DeLong (Dalton Gardens, Idaho) entered in the seventh and closed the door on South Dakota State for her fifth career save and second in as many games. DeLong totaled two strikeouts to end the game.

Craddock, DeLong and Jaimie Duffek (Brookfield, Ill.) totaled two hits each, but couldn't power Drake to victory in game two. Drake fell, 4-3, despite outhitting the Jackrabbits, 9-8, and threatening in the seventh.

Freshman Jordan Gronewold (Carlisle, Iowa) tossed four innings and allowed four runs (none earned) on seven hits to take her first collegiate loss. DeLong entered in the fifth after three Drake errors had taken their toll on the scoreboard.

Drake remains a conference-best 5-0 in the Missouri Valley Conference and hosts Evansville for a three-game series at Ron Buel Field this weekend. The Bulldogs and Purple Aces open play with a doubleheader Saturday at noon.