DES MOINES (May 2, 2021)
 
In Short
Righthander Nicole Timmons threw a two-hitter to give host Drake (17-27, 11-12 MVC) a sweep of a three-game weekend series with a 3-0 victory over Loyola University Chicago (10-27, 6-15 MVC) this afternoon at Buel Field. Loyola was held without a hit through six innings, but brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh before falling short in its quest for a comeback.
 
How It Happened
A two-out, two-run single off the bat of Emily Valtman in the bottom of the third inning gave Drake the first runs of the game and the Bulldogs never looked back from there. 
 
Drake padded its lead in the fifth when pinch hitter Kristen Arias lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to score Haylee Lehman, who got the rally going with a one-out walk. Loyola starter Sydney Ruggles kept the damage at a minimum, striking out Makayla Rice with the bases loaded to get out of the inning.
 
Loyola managed just two base runners against Timmons – Teagan Sopczak, who reached on an error in the second inning and Madison Ebeling, who drew a walk in the sixth – through the first six innings until Allyson Ivey started the top of the seventh with a single to left field. Amelia Thomas followed with an infield hit to bring the tying run to the plate, but Timmons worked out of the jam to preserve the shutout.
 
A Look at the Numbers

• Ivey and Thomas provided the only hits on the day for the Ramblers.
• Ruggles struck out six and scattered three hits in a complete-game performance.
• Timmons struck out 11 hitters and held Loyola without a hit until the seventh inning.

 
Up Next
Loyola and Indiana State open a three-game series with a doubleheader May 7 at Loyola Softball Park.