DES MOINES, Iowa – Illinois State defeated the Drake University softball team, 9-3, in the finale of a Missouri Valley Conference series Saturday afternoon at Buel Field.
 
Drake (6-21, 2-7 MVC) led 2-0 after one inning but Illinois State (20-5, 7-1 MVC) took the lead for good with a three-run second-inning and broke the game open with a big six-run fifth-inning. The Redbirds claimed the series after the teams split Friday to remain in first place in the league standings.
 
Sophomore Emily Valtman's two-run double to left center with no outs in the first innings gave Drake its lone lead of the game. Valtman's sixth double of the season scored Macy Johnson, who singled and stole second and Libby Ryan, who walked.
 
Illinois State scored all three runs in the second with two outs off starter Mackenzie Hupke, who gave up back-to-back singles.
 
Morgan Day held the Bulldogs without another hit until the sixth inning when Johnson tripled to start the inning. Two batters later, Addie Lightner singled through the right side to score Johnson.
 
Johnson led Drake's offense with two hits, two runs scored and nabbed her league-leading 20^th stolen base. Day struck out 10 Bulldogs and allowed just the four hits.
 
Hupke (3-4) took the loss after allowing three runs on three hits with one walk and two strikeouts.
 
Drake hosts Western Illinois Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. in a non-conference doubleheader.