CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The Drake softball team splits its two games Saturday morning as it shut out Southern Utah, 8-0, in six innings before North Dakota State edged Drake, 2-1, on the second day of the UNI Dome Tournament.

Drake (2-1) sophomore Megan Sowa (Gurnee, Ill.) had a monster game at the plate against Southern Utah as she went 3-for-6 with one double and two home runs, including her first career grand slam along with six runs batted in and three runs scored.

Freshman Nicole Newman (Madison, Wis.) debuted in the circle for the Bulldogs and earned her first win as she pitched six shutout innings. Newman allowed three hits and worked around five walks and struck out eight.

Senior Rebekah Schmidt (Cottage Grove, Minn.) took the tough loss against the Bison as her record falls to 1-1. Schmidt tossed seven innings and allowed just one earned run while striking out eight.

Schmidt drove home the only run for the Bulldogs with a RBI double in the second inning after North Dakota State went on the scoreboard first in the top half of the frame on a solo home run from Cheyenne Garcia.

The Bison scored the deciding run in the fourth inning on a RBI single from Maritza Lopez-Portillo that plated Garcia.

Sophomore Kaitlyn Finneran (Morrison, Ill.) and Sowa had one hit each for the Bulldogs in the loss.

Drake closes the tournament Sunday afternoon with a rematch versus North Dakota State at 2:30 p.m. followed by a game against UNI at 4:45 p.m.