CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Drake University softball team
split its Saturday doubleheader at Southern Illinois, winning game one, 4-0,
and dropping game two, 6-0. The game one victory clinched at least the two seed
for Drake in next week's State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
The Bulldogs and Salukis finish their three-game series,
and the regular season, Sunday at noon. If Drake wins and Illinois State loses
to Creighton, the Bulldogs would win the MVC regular season and earn the top
seed in Springfield, Mo. next week.
Senior pitcher Jenna DeLong (Dalton Gardens, Idaho) won
her 21st game of the season with a complete game shutout in the opener. DeLong
struck out six and allowed just four hits to move her MVC-best record to 14-2
in conference play.
The Bulldogs scored three of their four runs in the
opener with a bases-loaded double by Torey Craddock (Tucson, Ariz.) in the
third inning. Amy Pierce (Olathe, Kan.) drove in Drake's fourth run with a
single in the sixth.
In game two, senior Brynne Dordel (Chanhassen, Minn.)
took the loss after tossing four innings and allowing four earned runs on five
hits. Her record fell to 11-11 overall.
Freshman Jordan Gronewold (Carlisle, Iowa) tossed the
final two innings, allowing one run on three hits for a no-decision.
Offensively, DeLong, Pierce and senior Erin Mollohan
(Tinley Park, Ill.) tallied hits for Drake.
