CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The Drake University softball team defeated UNI, 7-1, Sunday evening to close out the 2015 UNI Dome Tournament. North Dakota State defeated Drake, 7-1, in the first game of the day for the team.
Senior Rebekah Schmidt (Cottage Grove, Minn.) led Drake (3-2) in the big win over the Panthers. Schmidt pitched seven strong innings allowing just one unearned run while striking out five to improve to 2-1 in the circle. She had a big day at the plate going 2-for-3 with one home run and fours run batted in.
Senior Laura Brewer (Waukee, Iowa) finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored while freshman Kelsey Wright (Olathe, Kan.) launched her first career home run, a solo shot, in the fourth inning.
Senior Hayley Nybo (Minnetonka, Minn.) added a RBI single in the third inning prior to Schmidt's three-run home run. Junior Chelsea Blaylock (Des Moines, Iowa) put the Bulldogs on the scoreboard first with a sacrifice fly in the second inning.
North Dakota State limited the Bulldogs to just three hits. Brewer, Nybo and Megan Sowa (Gurnee, Ill.) collected hits and Nybo plated the only run of the game for the Bulldogs with a first-inning RBI single.
Freshman Nicole Newman (Madison, Wis.) took the loss to drop to 1-1 as she allowed six runs (five earned) on eight hits and walked two with one wild pitch.
Drake travels to No. 12/14 Arizona on Feb. 12 for a 7 p.m. contest. The Bulldogs will then play at Arizona's Hillenbrand Invitational with five games scheduled from Feb. 13-15, including a rematch on Feb. 15 with the Wildcats to end the three-day tournament.
