FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Drake University softball team rallied with two runs in its final at-bat for a 3-2 victory over Louisiana Tech in its first game of the Woo Pig Fastpitch Classic.
Drake (3-13), down to its last out, scored its first run in the seventh inning after Liz Buck (Overland Park, Kan.) drew a bases-loaded walk to plate pinch runner Maddie Hooyman (Trenton, Missouri). The next batter, Amy Pierce (Olathe, Kan.), drew another bases-loaded walk this to bring in junior Rebekah Schmidt (Cottage Grove, Minn.) with the deciding run.
Hayley Nybo (Minnetonka, Minn.) put the Bulldogs on the scoreboard in the fourth frame with a solo home run, her second of the season, which cut Louisiana Tech's lead in half at 2-1.
Schmidt pitched four scoreless innings in relief to earn her third win of the year. She allowed just one hit along with one walk and had one strikeout. Starter Jordan Gronewold (Carlisle, Iowa) went three innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks. The two worked around three errors.
Buck finished the game 1-for-2 with one run batted in, and raised her team-leading batting average to .355.
Drake closes out today's action with host No. 24 Arkansas. First pitch with the Razorbacks is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
