FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Drake University softball team dropped a doubleheader at No. 20 Arkansas Thursday night on the first day of the Woo Pig Classic.
 
Drake (2-8) had late leads in each game against Arkansas (13-2) but the Razorbacks hit decisive grand slams in each comeback victory.
 
In the first game, the Bulldogs led 3-1 going into the bottom of the sixth behind a first-inning sacrifice fly by freshman Addie Lightner, Lightner's RBI double in the fifth and Emily Valtman's sacrifice fly that scored the other run in the fifth.
 
Arkansas though hit back-to-back singles to start the sixth off Nicole Timmons and loaded the bases on an error on freshman Skylar Rigby who committed an error at third base. One batter later, Kayla Green smashed a grand slam on an 0-1 count from Timmons. The Razorbacks added one more insurance run off sophomore Mackenize Hupke, who relieved Timmons.
 
Senior Macy Johnson and Valtman led Drake's offense in the first game with two hits each while Lightner drove in a pair. Timmons (1-3) earned the loss after pitching 5.1 innings and she allowed six runs (four earned) on seven hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.
 
Green put Arkansas up 1-0 in the second inning of game two with an RBI double. However, Drake took the lead 2-1 in the fifth with back-to-back RBI singles by Lightner and Valtman scoring Johnson and pinch runner Haylee Lehman, who ran for Libby Ryan, respectively.

The Bulldogs tacked on two more runs in the seventh as Johnson led off with a single and Ryan reached on an error. Two batters later, Valtman lined a single to center field that plated Johnson. Later, Emma Richards' infield single scored Ryan and put Drake up 4-2. Aubree Beitzinger then reached on an error that loaded the bases but MaKayla Rice struck out to the end the threat.
 
Arkansas started the bottom of the seventh with a single by Aly Manzo off Richards. Ryan's throwing error put pinch hitter Sam Torres on first and moved Manzo to second. Richards hit the next batter and was then replaced by Allie Timmons, who gave up an infield single as Burnside legged out a ball hit to shortstop and scored making it 4-2 Drake with zero outs. Danielle Gibson followed and lined a 1-1 pitch from Timmons over the center field fence for the walk-off win.
 
In game two, Drake had 11 hits but stranded 10 runners. Johnson and Valtman each had three hits and Johnson scored two runs and Valtman drove in a pair.
 
Richards pitched six innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Timmons (1-4) took the loss and allowed two runs on two hits.
 
Drake will look to bounce back Friday against Kansas at 10 a.m. and Northwestern State after the game with the Jayhawks.