PHOENIX – After having its game scheduled for Saturday cancelled due to rain in Phoenix, the Drake University softball team splits a pair of games Sunday on the final day of the Grand Canyon Purple Classic.
 
Drake (7-7) blanked Utah State (7-7), 8-0, in the morning before Grand Canyon (3-12) defeated the Bulldogs, 6-1, in the afternoon.
 
In the opening game, freshman Aubree Beitzinger (Pittsburg, Kan.) scored fellow freshman Delaney Taylor (Waukee, Iowa), who had taken a one-out walk, with an infield single for the first run against the Aggies in the second inning. Senior leadoff hitter Mandi Roemmich (West Des Moines, Iowa) followed and drove in Beitzinger and senior Abby Buie (Gardner, Kan.), who singled up the middle, with her own base hit up the middle to give Drake a 3-0 lead.
 
One inning later, the Bulldogs put the game away with a four-run outburst that started with another RBI single by Beitzinger and was followed by a bases loaded walk drawn by Roemmich. Junior Macy Johnson (Winterset, Iowa) then plated a pair of with her single up the middle and made the lead 7-0. The game ended in the fifth inning when Taylor raced home on a passed ball on Johnson's walk.
 
Beitzinger and Roemmich each had two hits and drove in two and three runs, respectively. Freshman Emily Valtman (Newtown, Iowa) also had two base hits while Taylor scored three times and had one stolen base. Beitzinger and Buie each scored two runs while Johnson drove in a pair and took two walks.
 
Freshman pitcher Mackenzie Hupke (Independence, Iowa) had another solid outing in the circle. Hupke improved her record to 2-2 with her second career shutout. She allowed just three hits and two walks with three strikeouts.
 
The Lopes broke open a 2-1 game with a four-run inning in the sixth. Grand Canyon's first two runs both came with two outs as starter Hannah Pals (Des Moines, Iowa) and relief pitcher Allie Timmons (Davenport, Iowa) struggled with their command. The pair walked seven Lopes in a combined 3.2 innings and later Hupke allowed four walks in 2.1 innings of work. Pals earned the loss as her record falls to 0-1.
 
Johnson drove in Roemmich with a single in the fifth inning for the Bulldogs' lone run. Johnson had a team-high three hits while Valtman tallied two.  
 
Next weekend, Drake travels to the Sooner State for the Oklahoma State/Tulsa Invitational. The Bulldogs start the three-day tournament Feb. 28 in Tulsa, Okla. against No. 17 Oregon at 12 p.m. They close the first day against Tulsa at 5 p.m.