DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake Bulldogs returned home to Ron Buel Field on Tuesday afternoon to face the Iowa State Cyclones. Drake held off a seventh inning rally by Iowa State to win, 8-6.

Sophomore Jordan Gronewold (Carlisle, Iowa) earned the win (13-13) after starting for Drake (17-19). She pitched six innings, allowed six runs (four earned) nine hits, and struck out two Cyclones. Rebekah Schmidt (Cottage Grove, Minn.) picked up her seventh save of the year after pitching one inning, striking out two and allowing one walk.

Iowa State (12-25) got on the board early, scoring the first run of the game on a passed ball, but it would be their only lead of the game.

Drake would tie the game in the bottom of the second inning after Gronewold blasted a home run over the left field fence. The Bulldogs would continue the rally in the third inning with an RBI double by senior Torey Craddock (Tucson, Ariz.) followed by a single down the right field line by Hayley Nybo (Minnetonka, Minn.), and a RBI single by Gronewold as the Bulldogs would score four runs in the inning.

The Bulldogs had another big inning in the bottom of the sixth, putting up three more runs to secure the win for Drake. After Gronewold led off with a double, Laura Brewer (Waukee, Iowa) plated her with a sacrifice fly to right field. Amy Pierce (Olathe, Kan.) picked up two RBIs on her double to deep left field.

Top offensive performers for the Bulldogs were Gronewold, Nybo and Sam West (Kearney, Mo.) Gronewold went 3-3, with two RBIs and a home run. Nybo went 2-3 with a RBI, and West went 2-2 at the plate.