DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake Bulldogs softball team fell to the Iowa State Cyclones, 7-2, Tuesday night at Ron Buel Field.
Iowa State used a five-run first inning and got two more runs in the second inning to hold off Drake. The Cyclones improved to 22-20 on the season while the Bulldogs dropped to 27-15 overall with just their third loss in the last 10 games.
Senior Hayley Nybo (Minnetonka, Minn.) went 2-for-3 with one doube and home run to lead Drake's offense. The home run was the eight of the season for Nybo and the 31st in her career. She is now just two home runs away from tying program leader, Elena Leon (2007-10), who finished her career with 33. Nybo has 40 career doubles, which is tied for second all-time and just two away from Pam Schaffrath's top mark of 42.
Freshman Kailee Smith (Murrieta, Calif.) made her second start in the circle and allowed seven runs (three earned) on five hits in one inning of work as her record is now 0-2. Drake committed a season-high four errors in the game as Iowa State capitalized on the miscues.
The Bulldogs used some alert base running for their second run as sophomore Kaitlyn Finneran (Morrison, Ill.) and freshman Tasha Alexander (Eddyville, Iowa) pulled a double steal on the Cyclones in the fifth inning. Finneran scored the run.
Senior Rebekah Schmidt (Cottage Grove, Minn.) pitched four innings in relief and allowed just one hit with three strikeouts. Freshman Nicole Newman (Madison, Wis.) also pitched and she allowed just three hits with four strikeouts in two innings.
Drake visits UNI Wednesday night (April 22) for a single game at 6 p.m. The Bulldogs will then travel to Bradley for three games from April 25-26.
