DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University softball team dropped its home opener to Creighton, 4-2, in eight innings Wednesday at Ron Buel Field.
Senior Jordan Gronewold (Carlisle, Iowa) started the game for Drake (6-20, 0-3 MVC) in the circle, but only lasted 1.1 innings. She allowed two runs on four hits, before junior Rebekah Schmidt (Cottage Grove, Minn.) came on in relief with runners at the corners and one out in the second inning. Schmidt worked out of the jam and pitched the remainder of the game tossing 6.2 innings. She allowed two runs on three hits along with four walks and five strikeouts. She took the loss to fall to 5-10 on the season.
Freshman Megan Sowa (Gurnee, Ill.) led the Bulldogs' offense with a 2-for-4 performance, and scored once. Senior Amy Pierce (Olathe, Kan.) and junior Hayley Nybo (Minnetonka, Minn.) tallied one hit each to round out Drake's four hits.
Sowa was the first Bulldog to record a hit, getting an infield knock that spun by the shortstop, in the bottom of the fourth inning. She advanced to third following a walk to the next batter and an illegal pitch, and scored on a wild pitch. Sophomore Mariah McKinnon (Oxford, Iowa), who pinch ran for senior Cortney Wood (Alburnett, Iowa), scored on a passed ball to tie the game, 2-2, after four innings.
Drake nearly took the lead the following inning, putting a pair of runners in scoring position with one out, but Sowa's line drive went directly to the right fielder as the score remained tied at 2-2.
Creighton (19-10, 2-0 Big East) took the lead back in the top of the eighth inning, scoring two runs on one hit. A hit batter and a walk gave the Bluejays a pair of runners to start the inning, and both scored to put Creighton on top, 4-2.
Ellen Homan was 1-for-4 at the plate for Creighton with two runs batted in. Kelsey Allender and Becca Changstrom both drove a runner home. Changstrom pitched the entire game for Creighton, fanning eight batters and allowed two runs (one earned) and scattered four hits.
Drake travels to Loyola this weekend, looking for its first conference win of the season. One game is scheduled for Saturday, March 29 at noon with a doubleheader on Sunday starting at 10 a.m. The games will be played at DePaul University's Cacciatore Stadium.
