DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake Bulldogs (19-22, 10-7 MVC) started off its home stand Wednesday as they split a doubleheader with the Creighton Bluejays (21-19-1, 10-6 MVC). 

Creighton won the first game, 5-2 and Drake won the second game, 2-0.          

Sophomore Jordan Gronewold (Carlisle, Iowa) started the first game for the Bulldogs. She took the loss in the first game with a final line of two runs, three hits, two walks and six strikeouts in her four innings of work. Freshman Rebekah Schmidt (Cottage Grove, Minn.) took over for Gronewold and finished the game for the Bulldogs. Schmidt allowed three runs, three hits, walked three, hit two batters and picked up five strikeouts in three innings of relief work.

Alexis Cantu hit a solo home run over the center field wall in the top of the first inning to put the Bluejays on top. Creighton extended its lead in the third inning as Bri Lingl hit a sacrifice fly to deep left field to score Ellen Homan. The Bluejays also scored two runs in the fifth inning and one more in the seventh.

Macie Silliman (Winterset, Iowa) scored first for Drake as she led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a single and was plated by Sam West (Kearney, Mo.). Amy Pierce (Olathe, Kan.) scored later in the inning off of a Torey Craddock (Tucson, Ariz.) sacrifice fly, but it would not be enough.

Gronewold got the start in game two and pitched seven shutout innings and took a no-hit bid into the sixth inning as she led the Bulldogs to the win in the second game. The sophomore struck out four Bluejays, walked three and allowed just two hits and improved her record to 14-16.

Pierce led the Bulldogs offensive efforts in the second game, as she went 2-3, with a walk, a stolen base, and a run for Drake. Liz Buck (Overland Park, Kan.) added a 1-2 performance at the plate and scored the other run for the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs would strike first in the second game as Craddock scored Pierce on a fielder's choice. Buck increased the lead in the second inning as she scored on a wild pitch.

Drake will continue the home stand this weekend as it hosts Southern Illinois. First pitch on Saturday is set for 12 p.m., followed by a second game scheduled for 2 p.m. The series will conclude on Sunday with a 12 p.m. game.