KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Drake softball team began its weekend at the Kansas City Roos Invitational on Friday with an offensive explosion and defeated host institution Kansas City, 11-3. The Bulldogs tallied 16 hits in the contest as three players recorded multi-hit outings led by Emma Dighton's 5-for-5 performance.
 
It was all Bulldogs from the beginning as they took an early 3-0 lead against UMKC in the first inning. Dighton began her day at the plate bringing in Heidi Wheeler, who also had a big day at the plate recording three base hits, for the first run of the frame off a triple in the gap to right center. Dighton then came around to score on an error made by the Kansas City catcher trying to catch Ava Curry stealing second.
 
Molly Hoekstra got in on the action with an RBI single to score Drake's third run in the inning. After a scoreless second, Hoekstra came through again with her second RBI base knock increasing Drake's lead to 4-0.
 
The senior also got the start in the circle for the Bulldogs and kept the Kansas City offense relatively in check. Hoekstra went the distance tossing all seven innings allowing two earned runs off five hits to go along with seven strikeouts.
 
While still in the third inning, Lydia Olejniczak tacked on two more runs for the Bulldogs as she ripped a double to center field.

Kansas City scored two runs in the fourth from wild pitches, but the Bulldogs offense wasn't slowing down.

Drake went on to score five more runs over the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings cruising to victory. Over that span, freshman Logan Kelley recorded an RBI double and Dighton's fifth and final hit of the game drove in a pair.

The Bulldogs return to the diamond tomorrow for a doubleheader against St. Thomas (MN). First pitch for game one is slated for noon with game two scheduled to start approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one.