BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Drake University softball suffered a pair of close losses on Sunday at the Indiana Classic. Drake lost to Ohio, 4-0, before Indiana edged the Bulldogs, 1-0, in the day's final game.
 
Indiana's (14-9) leadoff hitter Rebecca Blitz led off the bottom of the first inning with a single and then stole second and came around to score the game's deciding run on a throwing error by Drake's (8-9) freshman catcher Gabbie Jonas' (Omaha, Neb.), who was attempting to throw out Blitz.
 
Drake and Indiana each tallied two hits in the pitchers duel between Bulldog starter Nicole Newman (Madison, Wis.) and Hoosier starter Tara Trainer. Newman allowed just one unearned run on two hits while striking out six and walking one. She fell to 7-4 with the tough defeat.
 
Trainer allowed just two hits while striking out seven and walking two as she improved to 7-4 with the win.
 
Drake's best scoring chances against Trainer came in the second and sixth inning as the Bulldogs had a runner on second base both times, but failed to get the timely hit.
 
In the sixth inning, sophomore Kelsey Wright (Olathe, Kan.) had a one-out single and advanced to second on an error by the left fielder. However, Wright was stranded as the next two hitters struck out.
 
Ohio (11-7) scored all four runs in the first inning with two outs. The first run came on an RBI single and the next three on a three-run home run.
 
McKinnon settled in over the next five innings allowing just five more hits. However, the Bulldogs' offense never got going finishing with just four hits and didn't have a runner reach second base.
 
McKinnon dropped to 1-4 on the season with the loss.
 
Kaitlyn Finneran (Morrison, Ill.), Kennedy Frank (Chesterfield, Mo.), Taryn Pena (Columbia, Ill.) and Wright each had one hit for Drake against the Bobcats.
 
Drake plays a single game against Indiana on Monday with first pitch scheduled for noon.