NORMAN,
Okla. -
The Drake University softball team blasted Northern Colorado, 14-1, before
falling to No. 2 Oklahoma, 13-0, on the final day of the Oklahoma Spring
Tournament Preview.
In the opening game of the day against Northern Colorado (7-14-1),
sophomore Hayley Nybo (Minnetonka, Minn.) hit a triple and junior Nicole
Randel (Alpine, Calif.) homered in the bottom of the first inning,
giving the Bulldogs a 4-0 advantage. The Drake (14-10) offense was relentless
putting up two runs, three runs and five runs respectively in the next three
innings before the run rule took effect after the top of the fifth inning.
In addition to the triple, Nybo homered in the second inning,
finishing the day 2-for-3 at the plate with four RBI. Junior Amy Pierce (Olathe,
Kan.) also had a home run in her 2-for-3 outing, plating three runners.
Senior Macie Silliman (Winterset, Iowa) was 3-for-4 with two runs
scored, a stolen base and an RBI.
Junior Jordan Gronewold (Carlisle, Iowa) pitched four
strong innings, allowing a run on four hits, while striking out two. She
improves her record to 8-5. Freshman Mariah Mckinnon (Oxford, Iowa)
pitched the final inning and struck out one batter.
The No. 2 Sooners jumped out with three runs in the opening
inning, added seven more runs in the second frame and three runs in the third
inning to put the game away. Keilani Rickets, the 2012 USA Softball Collegiate
Player of the Year award winner, held the Bulldogs to just two hits on the day,
while striking out five. Nybo and Randel each recorded hits for Drake.
Rebekah Schmidt (Cottage Grove, Minn.) took the
loss as her record falls to 6-5 on the season. Oklahoma, one of the top
offensive teams in the country, roughed scored five earned runs (seven earned)
on seven hits in 3.1 innings off Schmidt.
With No. 1 Alabama losing three games this last week, the Sooners
will assume the No. 1 spot in both softball polls that will be announced
Monday. Oklahoma finished runner-up to Alabama at the 2012 NCAA
Women's College World Series.
The Bulldogs will start MVC play next Saturday, March 16 at
Southern Illinois with a doubleheader scheduled. First pitch for game one will
be noon.
