DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake softball team began its quest for the Missouri Valley Conference championship on Wednesday morning from Ron Buel Field with its first round matchup against No. 9 Murray State and came away with a comfortable 8-2 victory over the Racers.
 
The Bulldogs came out ready on a sunny day in Des Moines and were up quick over Murray State scoring five runs in the bottom of the first inning.
 
Senior Emma Dighton started the big inning with a leadoff triple and came home to score in the next at-bat off a Frankie Rita base knock. Drake eventually loaded the bases where Rita scored the next run due to a wild pitch. Heidi Wheeler added a sacrifice fly making it 3-0, who was then followed by Carey Koenig with an RBI double. Moments later, Natalee Watts drove in Koenig for the fifth and final run of the inning with a shot back up the middle.
 
In the circle for Drake senior Paige Bedsworth had her stuff working against the Racers' bats. The Fulton, Missouri, native was lights out over her outing and did not allow a hit through the first four innings.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, the Bulldogs added to their lead hanging three runs on the board. Dighton and Rita led off with back-to-back singles, which made way for Ava Curry to bring the pair around with a double in the left center field gap. The Bulldogs then displayed their patience at the plate and drew three consecutive walks pushing the score to 8-0.
 
With Murray State facing a run-rule situation if it did not score in the fifth, the Racers finally got to Bedsworth. In a pinch-hitting spot, Kayleigh White sent a solo homer to center fielder putting an end to the shutout and no hitter for Drake.
 
After a scoreless sixth inning, Murray State scored one more run in the seventh courtesy of an RBI triple, but Jayme Sheck, who came on in relief of Bedsworth back in the sixth, secured the win for the Bulldogs.
 
Drake totaled 10 hits in the contest with Dighton, Rita, and Watts leading the way as the trio all recorded two hits. Watts and Curry combined to drive in four of Drake's eight runs as well.
 
Bedsworth picked up her 11th win from the circle this season and finished with a final line of 5.0 innings pitched, two hits, one earned run, one walk, and a pair of punchouts.
 
The Bulldogs move on to the quarterfinal round tomorrow and will face the No. 1 seed Southern Illinois. First pitch from Ron Buel Field is slated for 10:00 a.m. and the game will be available to stream on ESPN+.