DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University softball team split a pair of games against visiting Western Illinois Tuesday evening at Ron Buel Field.
Drake won the first game, 5-0, but fell in the nightcap, 3-2, in the non-conference doubleheader.
Drake (7-22) was led on the day by Makayla Rice's 4-for-6 day with two runs and an RBI.
Libby Ryan and
Alexia Lara each added two RBI on the night.
Nicole Timmons earned the win in the first game, while
Allie Timmons suffered the evening's loss.
WIU's (12-20) Savannah Rodriguez was 2-for-5 in the doubleheader with an RBI and picked up the win in the circle in the evening game.
In the first game, the Bulldogs broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third with three runs as Rice opened the inning with a single to right field. She advanced to third via a stolen base and a
Haylee Lehman groundout. With Rice standing on third,
Macy Johnson got on courtesy of a fielder's choice as the shortstop attempted to throw behind Rice. Johnson then stole second, setting up two runners in scoring position with one out for Ryan.
Ryan responded with a double to the left-center gap to plate both baserunners and advanced to third on a throwing error. The next batter,
Emma Richards, brought Ryan home with a deep sacrifice fly to right field.
Ryan finished the game with two stolen bases in addition to going 1-for-1 with two RBI.
The Bulldogs added two more runs in the fourth inning courtesy of triples off the wall from Lara and Rice. After Rice scored Lara, she was brought in by a single to left-center from Lehman. Rice was 2-for-3 in the game with a pair of runs and her RBI.
WIU didn't get a runner into scoring position until the fifth inning with a single followed by a walk. A sacrifice bunt from Ashley Minyard moved the runners to second and third. However,
Nicole Timmons dialed up a strikeout and a soft pop-up to the second baseman to get out of the inning.
Timmons continued to deal the rest of the way, finishing with nine strikeouts and allowing only three hits to pick up her third win of the year.
The scoring started early in the second game with three combined runs in the first inning. WIU had three straight hits, with Rodriguez's double down the left-field line scoring Abby Gracia from second base.
Drake answered with a pair of runs off Lara's single down the right-field line after a WIU error extended the inning. Lara's hit brought
Emily Valtman and
Addie Lightner across the plate.
Three quick, scoreless innings followed before WIU took the lead with two runs in the top of the fifth inning. Alyssa Ealy led off the inning by driving the first pitch of the inning over the right-field wall. A walk followed and starting pitcher
Allie Timmons was relieved by
Mackenzie Hupke. However, after a sacrifice bunt moved the runner over, WIU's Sydney Hollings hit a ball to the base of the left-field fence to score the runner to put WIU on top, 3-2
The Bulldogs mustered two hits over the final two innings but could push another run across as WIU earned the split of the doubleheader.
The Bulldogs remain at Ron Buel Field for a weekend MVC series against Indiana State. The three-game set begins April 10 at noon with a doubleheader. The series concludes Sunday morning with an 11 a.m. game.
