IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Drake softball team hit the road on Wednesday evening as it took on in-state foe Iowa from Bob Pearl Field. The Bulldogs suffered the loss against the Hawkeyes by a final score of 4-0.
 
The Bulldogs and Hawkeyes were deadlocked in a scoreless tie in the early portion of the contest with starting pitchers Paige Bedsworth and Talia Tretton keeping the bats in check from the pitching circle. The dueling arms allowed just two hits each to their opponents through the first three innings and matched each other in the strikeout department with three punchouts apiece.
 
In the top of the fourth, Drake threatened to break the scoring drought with a bases loaded opportunity but couldn't bring any runs home. Back-to-back hit by pitches and a single from Carey Koenig had the Bulldogs in good shape, only for the momentum to be denied by the Hawkeye defense.
 
Bedsworth's day was done after getting the first out in the bottom of the fourth and Peyton Driscoll came on in relief. While Driscoll got out of the fourth unscathed, the Hawkeyes did their damage in the fifth.
 
Iowa displayed its patience in the batter's box and loaded the bases with one out off three walks. The Hawkeyes took advantage of their opportunity and broke the scoreless tie with a two-RBI double to the left center field gap.
 
After a pitching change by the Bulldogs, which brought on Molly Hoekstra, Iowa added two more runs with another two-RBI double to left center making the score 4-0 at the end of five.
 
The 4-0 score remained for the rest of the way as Drake couldn't string together a rally over the final two frames.
 
Drake and Iowa matched each other in hits for the game with five and neither side recorded an error. Four of the hits for the Bulldogs came from the 6-9 hitters in the lineup.
 
Drake will stay on the road for its weekend slate with a conference series against Valparaiso. Due to forecasted weather, the series with the Beacons is set to begin on Saturday, April 26 with a doubleheader at noon.