TEMPE, Ariz. – The Drake University softball team rallied to defeat Seton Hall, 6-4, but Boston College rallied for the second consecutive day to defeat Drake, 8-4, as the Bulldogs split their contests on the second day of the Diamond Devil Invitational.
Senior Cortney Wood (Alburnett, Iowa) paced Drake (2-12) offensively in the first game, tallying three hits and two runs batted in. Freshman Megan Sowa (Gurnee, Ill.) added two hits and plated one, while senior Jordan Gronewold (Carlisle, Iowa) collected two hits.
Junior Rebekah Schmidt (Cottage Grove, Minn.) started for the Bulldogs and pitched her third consecutive complete game of the invitational, earning the win over the Pirates to improve her record to 2-6 this season. Schmidt allowed four runs on 10 hits, and struck out five without issuing a free pass.
Seton Hall (3-6) took an early 2-0 lead in the third inning, with two outs and runners on second and third base, Colltey Shelton singled to right field, scoring both runners.
The Bulldogs responded in the fourth inning by scoring a pair of runs to knot the game at 2-2. With runners on first and second, Wood singled to right-center field to put Drake on the scoreboard then junior Laura Brewer (Waukee, Iowa) followed with a single to right field to drive home Sowa.
Schmidt worked out of a bases-loaded jam with one out in the bottom of the frame to keep the Pirates off the scoreboard.
The Bulldogs started the next inning with a pair of singles and Gronewold later scored on an illegal pitch call to give the Bulldogs their first lead at 3-2. Following the illegal pitch, Sowa singled to left field, scoring junior Sarah Ryan (Mount Vernon, Iowa). Freshman Kaitlyn Finneran (Morrison, Ill.) plated Sowa with a double to the right-center field wall, to conclude the Bulldogs' three-run inning which gave them a 5-2 lead.
The Pirates cut into Drake's lead in the bottom of the inning at 5-4 after Meredith Henze hit a two-run shot over the center field wall, but Drake added an insurance run in the seventh inning to hold on for the win.
Drake jumped out quickly on Boston College (5-3) putting three runs on the scoreboard in the first inning. After the first two batters singled, junior Hayley Nybo (Minnetonka, Minn.) smoked a single to center field, scoring Pierce from second. Later in the inning, Sowa drove Gronewold and Nybo home with a single up the middle.
After the Eagles scored two runs in the top of the second inning, Drake got one back in the bottom of the frame, after a successful double steal saw Ryan steal home to make the score 4-2.
The Eagles took the lead with two outs in the third inning as Nicole D'Argento singled to left field, scoring one and Tory Speer hit a deep home run over the left field wall to pull in front, 5-4.
Boston College added to its lead the following inning after sophomore Mariah McKinnon (Oxford, Iowa) gave up another home run. This one a solo blast by Alana DiMaso past the palm trees in right field.
The Eagles added runs in the sixth and seventh innings to stretch their lead to 8-4 to complete their second-straight rally over the Bulldogs.
Schmidt got the nod in the circle in the second game pitching two solid innings before getting a rest with Drake holding a 4-2 lead. McKinnon relieved Schmidt in the third inning, but only lasted an inning, allowing four runs on five hits, including two home runs. The sophomore took the loss as her record moves to 0-4 this season. Schmidt re-entered in the fourth inning and finished the game for Drake.
Pierce had two singles and scored one run to lead Drake's offense. Sowa finished 1-for-3 with two runs batted in.
Drake concludes action at the Diamond Devil Invitational tomorrow, with a matchup against the fourth-ranked tournament host's Arizona State. First pitch with the Sun Devils is scheduled for 12:15 p.m. CST and a free video stream will be available courtesy of the Pac-12 Networks here.
