NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Drake softball team closed out its conference series against the Belmont Bruins on Friday afternoon and suffered a 6-2 loss from E.S. Rose Park.
The Bulldogs weren't held hitless against Belmont starting pitcher Maya Johnson this time around and jumped out ahead, 2-0, in the first inning.
Frankie Rita led off the frame with base knock and advanced over to second shortly after with a stolen base. Rita was then brought in during
Ava Husak's at-bat when Husak smacked a base hit to right field.
The play on Husak's single wasn't over quite yet, however. On the attempt to get Rita out at home, Husak raced to second base and the throw from Belmont's catcher to try and get Husak out at second sailed into center field. The throwing error allowed Husak to continue running all the way home and score.
When the game reached the second inning Belmont struck back and tied the game up at 2-2. A fielding error from Drake put one runner on for the Bruins and following a single and a stolen base, the Bruins had two runners in scoring position for Emily Konz. Konz made the most of her opportunity and tallied a double in the right center field gap brining the score even.
Johnson then got in a rhythm from the pitcher's circle and kept the Drake bats relatively in check with the Bulldogs scattering just three more hits over the course of the game. The Bulldogs ended up striking out 14 times against Johnson on the day.
The tie was ultimately broken by the Bruins in the fifth inning with a four-spot on the scoreboard. Drake's starting pitcher,
Peyton Driscoll, recorded two quick outs with back-to-back line outs, but then ran into some trouble allowing a walk and a single in the next two at-bats. Another single kept the two-out rally alive and plated one run, which made way Brenna Blume to step up and hit a three-run home run to center field.
Blume's homer sealed the deal for the Bruins victory as Johnson held the Bulldogs scoreless for the final two innings.
Drake will be back in Des Moines for its next game, a midweek battle with Creighton on Wednesday, April 8. First pitch from Buel Field is scheduled for 5 p.m.
