FORT MYERS, FLA. - The Drake University softball team defeated Florida Gulf Coast, 4-1, behind a 12-hit performance from the offense and a three-hit, 14-strikeout effort from junior pitcher Brynne Dordel. The win was the Bulldogs' sixth in a row.

Dordel (Chanhassen, Minn.) was brilliant in the circle, striking out a career-high 14 batters en route to her eighth victory of the season. The junior allowed one earned run on three hits while walking three on the night.

Senior Elena Leon (West Des Moines, Iowa) led off the game with her sixth home run of the season and program-best 29th of her career. Freshman Lindsey Vande Wall (Prairie City, Iowa) followed Leon's smash with an infield single and scored four batters later on an RBI single by senior Carrie Hatfield (Des Moines, Iowa) to give Drake an early 2-0 lead.

Dordel allowed the lone Eagle run in the first on a Vande Wall error, but regrouped to throw six shutout innings to finish the game. The junior allowed two hits and walked two through the first three innings, but faced just two over the minimum through the final four frames.

Five Bulldogs tallied two hits on the night, with Hatfield executing RBI singles in the first and the fifth to lead the way.  Leon scored twice on the night with her second run coming on a second-inning RBI single by sophomore Torey Craddock (Tucson, Ariz.).

Drake improved to a Missouri Valley Conference-best 16-6 overall.

The Bulldogs travel to Normal, Ill. to take on Illinois State in both teams' MVC opener on Saturday. Drake and Illinois State meet in a doubleheader starting at noon.