The Basics
Drake University softball returns to Buel Field for their 2023 home opening series this weekend. The Bulldogs will welcome Indiana State to Des Moines for a three-game set starting on Friday, Mar. 24.
Drake will then travel to Omaha, Neb. for a non-conference tilt at Creighton on Wednesday, Mar. 29.
About the Bulldogs
Offensively, Drake is led by junior utility player
MaKayla Rice and senior infielder
Aubree Beitzinger. Rice tops the roster with a .306 batting average, 22 hits, 72 at bats, and 11 runs scored. She also ranks in the top five on the team in doubles, total bases, and slugging percentage.
Beitzinger is the only other Bulldog batter with an average over the .300 mark with a .304 clip. She also has logged a .347 slugging percentage, six runs scored, 21 hits, nine RBI, and a team-high four doubles.
Mackenzie Hupke and
Emma Dighton have been the premier pitchers for Drake this season. Hupke leads the staff with a 3.55 ERA, .214 opponent batting average, three wins, 49 strikeouts, and 45.1 innings pitched. Dighton has posted an ERA of 5.47 while winning two games and fanning 21 total batters.
Scouting the Competition
The Bulldogs begin their series against Indiana State on Friday, Mar. 24 at 3 pm. The series will continue through the weekend with two more games on Saturday, Mar. 25 at 2 pm and Sunday, Mar. 26 at noon.
The Bulldogs have historically dominated the Sycamores, holding a 36-12 all-time advantage. The rivalry has been more even in recent installments as Drake leads the last 10 matches by a 6-4 margin.
The Sycamores currently hold a 14-12 overall record and are 3-0 in conference play. Indiana State recently swept winless UIC in their conference opening series before splitting a pair of non-league contests at Purdue.
Drake will then travel to Creighton for a mid-week matchup on Wednesday, Mar. 29.
The 13-15 Bluejays are also winless in Big East play so far this season after dropping a three-game set at Villanova from Mar. 17-18. Creighton then lost their fourth-straight game at Omaha in their most recent tilt.
The Bluejays will host Seton Hall in another Big East series this weekend before welcoming the Bulldogs to Omaha next week.
Creighton currently holds a 20-13 advantage in the all-time series with Drake dating back to 2004. The Bulldogs won the most recent meeting, a 2-1 win in 2018, snapping three-straight victories for the Bluejays.
Up Next
Drake will continue their Valley slate of games with another home series next weekend. The Bulldogs will host Murray State from Friday, Mar. 31 to Sunday, Apr. 2. The Bulldogs will then host in-state rival Iowa on Tuesday, Apr. 4.
