NORMAL, Ill. – The Drake University softball team got back into Missouri Valley Conference action this evening with a doubleheader at Illinois State. The Bulldogs (13-14, 1-4) saved their production for the final inning in the first game to complete a valiant comeback before stumbling in the Friday finale.
 
Drake 10, Illinois State 3
Addie Lightner continued her solid season by scraping the first run of the day across the board in the top of the third inning. Lightner's single to left plated MaKayla Rice. Abby Martin followed with an RBI single of her own to bring Carey Koenig across.
 
The Redbirds (12-23, 6-4) answered in the home half of the fourth with two scores. Bella Wilkerson singled up the middle to drive their first run in. Another Redbird scored on the play after a Bulldog fielding error. Not long after, an RBI groundout by Hanna Hicks put Illinois State in front, 3-2.
 
As the game turned into its final stages, Drake took its turn to rally. Destiny Lewis homered in the top of the sixth inning to knot the score at three apiece.
 
Then, in the seventh, Drake found a rhythm and plated seven runs and put the difference out of reach. The Bulldogs scored on a pair of ISU errors in the frame as well with two walks, a passed ball, an Allie Bishoff single, and a Rice sacrifice.
 
Four different Drake players logged multiple hits in the 10-3 victory. Rice, Emma Dighton, and Lightner all went 2-for-4 while Martin put together a 2-for-3 game.
 
Molly Hoekstra started and pitched three innings for the Bulldogs in a no decision. Emma Richards came on in relief and picked up the win, her first of the year.
 
Illinois State 8, Drake 2
Drake could not continue their late-game momentum into the second contest of the double header as the Redbirds poured it on early to even the series.
 
Illinois State scored five runs in the first inning to set the tone in the Friday finale. Jayden Standish homered to right center to plate three before an Ella Boyer single and a Wilkerson groundout reached the eventual five-run tally.
 
Another home run, this time from Delainey Bryant, added to the difference in the second. Adisyn Hopkins pitched in with a double, making it 7-0 Redbirds.
 
Drake finally got on the board in the fifth frame when Lightner singled through the left side and Abby Martin walked in a run to cut into the Redbirds' advantage. The Drake rally was shortlived, however, as Illinois State got out of the inning and hit the 8-2 final with a seventh-stanza home run.
 
MaKayla Rice led Drake in Game 2 with a 3-for-4 game in the leadoff spot. Rice was matched by Haylee Lehman with the two Drake runs.
 
Emma Dighton took the loss in the circle to fall to 2-8 on the season. She pitched just one-third of an inning before Jayme Scheck came in to replace her. Scheck struck out seven Redbirds in 5.2 innings of relief work.
 
Drake and Illinois State will conclude the series tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m.