The Basics
The Bulldogs will host the Illinois State Redbirds for a three-game series this weekend. The series will begin on Friday, Apr. 14 and conclude on Sunday, Apr. 16.
After the weekend series, Drake will remain at home for one game against UNI on Tuesday, Apr. 18.
About the Bulldogs
Leading the offensive charge for Drake have been
Emma Dighton and
MaKayla Rice. Dighton leads the Bulldogs in OPS, slugging percentage, RBI and home runs. She is tied for sixth place in the MVC in home runs with six on the season. Dighton is coming into play swinging a hot bat as she's posted a .447 batting average in her last 10 games. Her season batting average has jumped up to .295.
Rice holds a team-high batting average of .297 among players with over 100 at-bats. She has also slugged a team-high six doubles. Adding to her resume, Rice has nine stolen bases this season.
Dominating on the mound for the Bulldogs has been
Mackenzie Hupke. Hupke leads the team with a 3.05 ERA and five wins. She has accumulated 93 strikeouts this season, which is good for fifth place in the MVC.
Scouting the Competition
Drake is set to play Ilinois State on Friday, Apr. 14 at 1 p.m., Saturday, Apr. 15 at 2 p.m., and Sunday, Apr. 16 at noon. All three games will be played at Buel Field in Des Moines Iowa.
The Redbirds hold a 25-21 all-time advantage against the Bulldogs. In their most recent showdown on Apr. 5, 2022, Drake dominated Illinois State 13-0. Drake has also won seven of the last 10 matchups against the conference opponent.
Illinois State is 21-17 this season with an 11-3 in-conference record. The Redbirds defeated the Bradley Braves 10-2 on the road in their most recent contest.
Drake will remain at home for a one-game set against UNI on Tuesday, Apr. 18 at 5 p.m.
UNI holds a 23-11 record on the season. They are currently first in the MVC and they're 12-1 against conference opponents.
Drake is 29-26 against UNI all-time, however, Drake has lost six games in a row against the Panthers. The most recent contest between the in-state rivals was on Tuesday, Apr. 11 where UNI defeated Drake 9-1.
Up Next
Drake will hit the road and travel to Valparaiso, Indiana to play against the Beacons. The series will span from Friday, Apr. 12 to Sunday, Apr. 23. The Bulldogs will then travel to UNI on Tuesday, Apr. 25 for another mid-week contest against the Panthers.
