MURRAY, Ky. – The Drake University softball team secured its third straight series win in Missouri Valley Conference play with a 4-1 defeat of Murray State on the road this afternoon. The Bulldogs scored four runs between the fifth and sixth innings to jump in front and take the victory.
 
Drake (18-18, 6-7) spotted the Racers (19-22, 6-10) a lone run in the first inning as Murray State's Adison Hicks singled up the middle to score Parker Holcombe. That early run turned out to be the host Racers' only score of the day.
 
Neither team could scratch anything across over the next three innings as the Racers held on to their narrow lead into the fifth. That was when Drake turned it on. Abby Martin homered with the bases empty to knot the score at 1-1 before a Carey Koenig groundout brought Destiny Lewis in to give Drake its first lead of the day.
 
In the sixth inning, Skylar Rigby singled to left center to add another run and Martin followed with a single of her own to bring it to the eventual final tally of 4-1.
 
Martin went 3-for-3 on the day with a game-high two RBI and was one of four different Dogs to score runs.
 
Molly Hoekstra improved to 9-3 in the circle with the pitching win after striking out four Racer batters and allowing just one run. Jayme Scheck came on in relief for 2.2 innings of work and earned her second save of the season.
 
Drake will be back in action this week with a Tuesday trip to Cedar Falls for a rematch against UNI.