DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake softball team bounced back after suffering a loss in the series opener against UIC on Friday by sweeping the Saturday doubleheader giving the Bulldogs the series win over the Flames. Drake shutout UIC in the first game of the day, 4-0, behind dominant pitching performances and used a late-inning
Sami Miller homer to secure game two, 7-5.
Drake 4, UIC 0
The Bulldogs and the Flames were locked in a pitcher's duel for most of the first game as the scoreboard flashed zeroes for both sides through the first four innings.
Emma Dighton and Jasmine Whorley got the starting nods in the circle for the two squads and did their jobs by keeping the offensive threats to a minimum. Drake produced hits off Whorley as it totaled 11 in the game, but never was able to string anything conclusive until later on. Dighton, on the other hand, tossed 4.2 innings of scoreless softball with just two hits allowed.
Paige Bedsworth came on in relief of Dighton and followed in her footsteps shutting down the Flames' bats. She secured the win after throwing 2.1 innings with no hits or runs allowed and one strikeout.
The Bulldogs finally broke the scoreless tie in the fifth inning when
Ava Curry led off the frame with a double. After advancing to third on a groundout, Curry displayed her speed again as she raced home to beat the play at the plate after Miller grounded out to shortstop.
Drake added some insurance runs in the following inning to increase its lead to 4-0. With the bases loaded and two outs, Dighton provided the big swing with a double which cleared the bases.
Eight different Bulldogs recorded a hit in game one with Curry,
Tatum Aragon, and
Heidi Wheeler all producing multi-hit performances. Curry and Dighton recorded the only two extra-base hits in the game for Drake.
Drake 7, UIC 5
The scoring was more prevalent in the second game of the day between Drake and UIC and the Flames were the first on the scoreboard in this go around.
UIC led off the game with back-to-back hits, which put runners in scoring position and capitalized in the next at-bat. A fielding error from Drake allowed both runners to cross the plate and give the Flames the early advantage.
Following a scoreless second inning, Drake jumped in front in the third scoring five runs in a multitude of ways. The Bulldogs showed off their plate discipline as two runs scored off walks with the bases loaded. A wild pitch with the bases loaded also produced a run and a fielder's choice off the bat of
Lili Gonzalez drove in another. The only hit in the frame the scored a run for the Bulldogs was a single back up the middle by
Carey Koenig.
As the game moved along, Drake's 5-3 lead eventually became a 5-5 tie. The Flames chipped away over the middle innings getting one run back in the fourth due to another error from the Bulldogs and plated two in the sixth using an RBI groundout and a sacrifice fly.
In the bottom of the sixth, and with Drake's top of the order due up, the Bulldogs rallied to take their lead back. Curry, similar to game one, led things off with a double igniting the spark the Drake offense needed. The explosion came moments later with a no doubt about it homer from Miller over the left field wall for a two-run blast.
Bedsworth, who was called in for relief duties again, retired the side to end the game by producing a double play ball back to the pitcher's circle and picked up her second win of the day.
Miller's bat led the offensive charge for the Bulldogs going 3-for-3 at the dish with her two-run homer being the difference maker. Aragon also produced another multi-hit game going 2-for-4 with a run scored and Koenig notched two hits as well including a double and an RBI.
Drake hits the road for their next contest with a non-conference midweek battle against Iowa. The Bulldogs and Hawkeyes take to the diamond from Iowa City on Wednesday, April 23 with first pitch slated for 5:00 p.m. The game will be available to stream on Big Ten Plus.
