EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The Drake University softball team's 2021 season came to end in the quarterfinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament on Thursday, May 13
with Southern Illinois' (35-14) 3-0 win over No. 5 Drake (19-30) at Cooper Stadium.
 
Jenny Jansen hit a three-run home run in the third inning and Sarah Harness struck out nine Bulldogs and scattered five hits to send fourth-seeded SIU to Friday's semifinals.
 
Senior Macy Johnson finished 3-for-3 with one double and has 204 career hits moving past program legend Dani Tyler (202) for sixth all-time at Drake. Johnson will return in 2022 with the NCAA granting an extra year due to the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
 
Senior Nicole Timmons (10-11) pitched six innings and allowed three earned runs on eight hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Timmons will also return in 2022. Fellow senior Libby Ryan will also come back for one more season in 2022.
 
Addie Lightner and Emily Valtman each had one hit in the loss.
 
Drake's two best scoring opportunities came in the first and sixth innings. In the first, Johnson dropped a bunt for a one-out single and Valtman followed with an infield single, but Skylar Rigby struck out and Lightner's fielder's choice ended the first. In the sixth, Johnson hit a one out double and Valtman followed with a walk. But Harness got three-straight outs to escape.
 
Aubree Beitzinger, Laura Anderson and Alexia Lara were retired in order in the seventh as the Bulldogs' ended.