WHAT'S AHEAD: The Drake softball team will play in the annual Big Four Tournament this Saturday and Sunday (Sept. 26-27) in Iowa City, Iowa. Drake will play Iowa at 5 p.m. and Northern Iowa at 7 p.m. on Saturday before meeting Iowa State at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday.

LAST YEAR: Drake turned in a solid day at the Big Four Classic but wasn't able to capitalize on scoring opportunities at the plate, dropping 6-2 and 4-0 decisions to Iowa and Iowa State, respectively.

In the opener against the Hawkeyes, Bridget Shields (Iowa City, Iowa/West) gave Drake a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first with a solo home run. The advantage held until the top of the fourth when a two-run frame put Iowa ahead to stay.

Drake closed out the Big Four Tournament, dropping a 7-6 verdict to host Northern Iowa. The Bulldogs owned a 6-2 lead in the second inning before the Panthers rallied for four runs in the fourth inning. Erin Mollohan (Tinley Park, Ill.) slugged a three-run home run for Drake in the second inning, while Bridget Shields added an RBI infield single. Jenna DeLong (Dalton Gardens, Idaho) gave the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a bases-loaded single.
 
A LOOK BACK: Senior Mandy Osborn (Blair, Neb.) tossed a two-hitter and ripped a two-run double in the second game to help power the Drake softball to a doubleheader sweep past Minnesota State-Mankato last Sunday in Des Moines. A two-run home run by senior third baseman Elena Leon (West Des Moines, Iowa) in the fifth inning rallied the Bulldogs to a 3-1 triumph in the first game.

Junior pitcher Jenna DeLong went the distance for Drake in the first game, scattering three hits while striking out seven. Osborn drilled a two-run double scoring Leon and Molly McClelland (West Des Moines, Iowa) in the fourth inning of game two and then came home to score on the front end of a double steal.