DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake softball team tested No. 15 Missouri, but left eight runners on base in a 6-3 loss at Ron Buel Field on Wednesday, April 10.
Following a scoreless first inning, Mizzou (31-10) struck first in the top of the second inning. A pair of singles put two runners on for the Tigers with two down. West Des Moines native Alex Honnold reached on a fielder's choice and an error by shortstop
Abby Martin allowed Stefania Abruscato to score from second base for the game's first run.
The score remained 1-0 until the top of the fourth when Abruscato sent a solo homer over the right field wall. A few batters later with a runner at second base, Honnold drove in a run with a single through the right side of the infield. The next batter, Maddie Gallagher, brought Honnold around with a double as Mizzou commanded a 4-0 lead after four innings of play.
Drake (16-17) got on the board in the bottom of the fifth frame with two outs and
Haylee Lehman standing at second base.
MaKayla Rice stepped up by dropping a single into right center as the Bulldogs trailed 4-1.
Emma Dighton went the distance for Drake and loaded up the bases in the top of the seventh before Abruscato picked up her second and third RBI of the day with a single to left center for a 6-1 Tiger advantage. Dighton (2-9) allowed four earned runs on eight hits and allowed six walks over 7.0 innings in the circle.
The Bulldogs did not go down easily.
Carey Koenig led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a single for one of her two hits on the evening. Up next, Rice battled and pounded her first home run of the season over the fence in right centerfield to trim the deficit to 6-3. The home run resulted in the first earned runs of the season surrendered by Missouri reliever Taylor Pannell.
Pannell recovered to set down the next three Bulldogs in order for her seventh save of the campaign.
Rice finished 2-for-3 at the dish with three RBI, she has now driven in 10 runs this season. Cierra Harrison (11-2) earned the win for the Tigers pitching 4.2 innings while surrendering one run on four hits with five strikeouts.
Drake softball will return to Missouri Valley Conference play with a three-game series April 12-14 at Murray State.
