VALPARAISO, Ind. – The Drake softball team closed out its series against Valparaiso on Sunday afternoon and avoided a sweep with a 6-1 victory from the Valparaiso Softball Complex.
 
For the third consecutive game, Drake was the first team on the scoreboard. The Bulldogs struck in the third inning with a sacrifice fly from Emma Dighton to take the 1-0 lead. Sam Tourtillott scored the run after leading off the frame with a double and advanced to third on a groundout.
 
The Bulldogs used a strong pitching performance from starter Peyton Driscoll to hold the Beacons scoreless through four innings of play, but Valpo managed to finally breakthrough in the fifth.
 
Drake found itself in a bases loaded jam with one out following an error, walk, and hit by pitch. Paige Bedsworth was called on for a relief appearance and limited the damage to just one run allowed off a groundout, which brought the game back even at 1-1.
 
In the sixth inning, Dighton came through to give the Bulldogs their lead back. After Lili Gonzalez reached on an error, the Boone, Iowa, native found a pitch to her liking and sent it soaring over the left field wall for a two-run round tripper putting Drake back in front, 3-1.
 
For good measure the Bulldogs then added some insurance runs in the top of the seventh to pull away from the Beacons. Dighton tallied her fourth RBI of the contest following a double in the gap to right center and Tatum Aragon added an RBI double of her own an at-bat later. The third run of the frame came across the plate courtesy of an RBI base knock from Heidi Wheeler.
 
Bedsworth secured the win for Drake, and earned her 10th victory from the pitcher's circle, setting the Valpo lineup down in order.
 
Dighton led the offensive charge for the Bulldogs going 2-for-3 at the dish with a total of four RBI, a double, and her team-leading 11th long ball of the season. Aragon also tallied a multi-hit outing with a 2-for-4 performance including a double and an RBI.
 
Drake's next contest will see it make the short drive north up I-35 for a non-conference midweek matchup with the Iowa State Cyclones on Wednesday, April 30. First pitch from Ames is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.