STORY BY ADAM ROGAN
The Drake Softball team was able to stay above the .500 mark at the Hillenbrand Invitational in Tucson, Arizona, winning four of six games this week.
The Bulldogs faced off with the Arizona Wildcats on Thursday, the day before the tournament began.
Rebekah Schmidt pitched a complete game, but surrendered six runs on 11 hits leading to a 6-1 loss.
The Hillenbrand Invitational kicked off the next day at noon for Drake.
Any weakness that the team may have shown against Arizona was swept away as the Bulldogs demolished Loyola Chicago 9-1 in five innings.
Drake scored two runs before even recording an out in the first inning thanks to a throwing error by Brie Pasquale and a Laura Brewer double. Mariah McKinnon and Brewer both scored off of an Ashlie Chambers single in the inning as well.
Freshman Nicole Newman picked up the second win of her career and gave up only one run on one hit, both coming in the fifth inning.
The Bulldogs struggled in their second game of the day, falling to San Jose State on Friday afternoon 4-12, the Spartans scoring in all but two innings.
Schmidt was rocked early, giving up nine runs, six of which were earned, in six innings on the mound.
Drake was down seven before they even found their way onto the scoreboard. Hayley Nybo hit a two-run, no out home run in the bottom of the fourth, her second homer of the season. The Bulldogs were able to get runners on base, but struggled to score them as they still recorded nine hits to the Spartans’ 12.
Mariah McKinnon came in as relief in the top of the seventh, but gave up three more runs.
A two-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh from pinch hitter Tasha Alexander tried to give the Bulldogs a spark, but it was all for naught.
The Bulldogs entered Sunday with a record of 4-4, but would improve to 6-4 after two closely contested games. Drake won each by a final score of 2-0.
Nybo opened the scoring in both games, hitting solo homers in the sixth inning. She currently leads the Bulldogs with four home runs this season.
Schmidt improved to 3-3 on the season against the Loyola Marymount Lions, throwing another complete game shutout. She struck out eight and didn’t walk a single batter.
Newman also threw a shutout, improving to 3-1 as she gave up eight hits, struck out eight Wright State Raiders and only gave up one walk.
This performance helped Newman earn Missouri Valley Conference Softball Pitcher of the Week honors in what is just her second week of collegiate play.
The Bulldogs closed out the Hillenbrand Invitational with their second loss to Arizona in a week, shutout 8-0 in five innings.
The 9-0 Wildcats only gave up five hits on the day while getting 12 of their own, a two-run home run by Katiyana Mauga sealing the mercy rule victory.
Schmidt was settled with the loss, falling to 3-4 on the season while Newman came in for relief, but gave up three runs in 1 2-3 innings.
The Bulldogs returned to Des Moines with a 6-5 record and will not play again until Feb. 26 when they travel to Clarksville, Tennessee to take on Austin Peay.
