DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University softball team split a Missouri Valley Conference doubleheader Friday against Illinois State at Buel Field.
Drake (6-20, 2-5 MVC) took game one by a score of 4-1 from the league-leaders, Illinois State (19-5, 6-1 MVC), before dropping the second game, 5-0.
The Bulldogs opened the first contest with a two-run blast to left field in the bottom of the first inning by freshman
Addie Lightner, her team-best fourth home run of the season.
The Redbirds answered in the top of the third when Brittni LaFountaine earned a walk with the bases loaded to scratch across Illinois State's lone run of the game.
Libby Ryan responded in the bottom half of the frame with a solo home run to left field. Two innings later, Ryan stroked a single to center field that plated
Macy Johnson and extended Drake's lead to 4-1. It marked the seventh time this season Ryan has notched multiple hits.
Drake stroked two home runs in a game for the first time this year. Lightner and Ryan led the offense with two hits each and each drove in a pair.
Sophomore
Mackenzie Hupke (3-3) commanded the circle for Drake, spreading five hits and one earned run over seven innings of action while recording a career-best 12 strikeouts.
In the second game, Illinois State pitcher Mack Leonard scattered five hits and worked around six walks to hold Drake scoreless. As a team, the Bulldogs stranded 11 baserunners, including six in scoring position. Drake stranded the bases loaded in the second and had runners on second and third base stranded in the fifth and seventh innings.
Bulldogs' pitcher
Nicole Timmons (2-7) started and went five innings. Timmons allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits with four walks and eight strikeouts.
Emme Olson drove in the Redbirds first run with an RBI double in the third. Illinois State added two more runs in the fifth capitalizing on a throwing error by
Laura Anderson that allowed one run and then later Olson drove in another run with a sacrifice fly to center.
Illinois State scored two more in the sixth off freshman
Emma Richards, who allowed three hits in the frame. Richards allowed two runs on three hits with three strikeouts and added one hit at the plate.
Macy Johnson, who had her career-best 27-game hitting streak end in the Bulldogs' win, bounced back with a 2-for-3 game with one stolen base. Ryan had two hits and two stolen bases.
The teams close the series Saturday with a noon game at Buel Field.
