LAS VEGAS – The Drake University softball team dropped its final game of the UNLV Classic on Sunday losing to Florida Atlantic, 8-0, in five innings.
 
Drake (7-7) fell behind early to FAU (17-2) as the Owls hit a two-run home run in the first inning. FAU added two more runs in the third inning, one in the fourth inning and ended the game early with three runs in the fifth inning.
 
Drake's offense struggled against FAU managing just three hits and the Owls capitalized on three errors by the Bulldogs. Junior Kaitlyn Finneran (Morrison, Ill.) finished with two hits while sophomore Kailee Smith (Murrieta, Calif.) had the other hit.
 
Sophomore pitcher Nicole Newman (Madison, Wis.) took her third loss of the season to fall to 6-3 on the year in the circle. Newman allowed five runs (four earned) on four hits in three innings. She battled control problems handing out four walks and recording just one strikeout. Senior Mariah McKinnon (Oxford, Iowa) allowed three runs (one earned) in two innings of relief.
 
A nine-game spring break road trip is next on the schedule for the Bulldogs as the trip begins with neutral site games against Ohio on March 12 and 13 in Bloomington, Ind., followed by a doubleheader at Indiana on March 14. Drake then plays at Saint Louis on March 15 and at SIUE on March 16 before opening Missouri Valley Conference play at Evansville on March 19 (DH) and 20.