TERRE HAUTE, Ind – Indiana State softball split a doubleheader with Drake on Friday afternoon at Price Field to begin their three-game MVC series.

The Sycamores (19-19, 6-8) took game one 4-3 while Drake (13-21, 7-6) battled back to win game two 12-6 and even the series.

Game One
Indiana State broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the third, stringing together three-straight hits which was capped by a no-doubt home run from Bella Peterson over the wall in right center which plated Abi Chipps and Olivia Patton who had reached on singles. Peterson's seventh home run of the season put the Sycamores up 3-0.

The Sycamores tacked on another run in the fourth when Abi Chipps drove in Grace Hunger with a single through the left side to increase the ISU lead to four.
After another 1-2-3 inning from Benko in the top of the fifth, the Sycamores picked up a pair of singles but Drake was able to keep Indiana State off the board in the bottom half of the frame to keep the game at 4-0.

Both teams went 1-2-3 in the sixth, bringing Drake to the plate in the seventh where Lexi Benko was sitting on six innings of no-hit ball against the Bulldogs. After getting a groundout to begin the inning, Benko gave up her first hit of the afternoon with a solo shot by Addie Lightner to left center. After making it a 4-1 game, the Bulldogs would pull within one after an RBI double and a RBI single plated two runs to make it 4-3 Sycamores.

Benko got a groundout to first base to retire the side and claim her 10^th victory of the season as Indiana State held on for the 4-3 win. She finished with seven strikeouts which ties a career-high.

Bella Peterson finished 2-for-3 at the plate with three RBIs while Abi Chipps went 2-for-2 with an RBI.

Game Two
In the opening frame of game two, Drake jumped out to a 2-0 lead after a bases-loaded walk and a Sycamore throwing error allowed a pair of runs to score.

Bella Peterson put a dent in the Bulldog lead with a solo shot to right center in the bottom of the first for her eighth home run of the year.

Indiana State would tie the game in the second, making it 2-2 on a sacrifice fly from Annie Tokarek which scored Lexie Siwek.

In the top of the third inning, the Bulldogs put up four runs in the frame. Indiana State walked the bases-loaded, followed by a 2-RBI single to go up 4-2. The very next batter delivered another 2-RBI single to increase the Drake lead to 6-2.

A leadoff walk came around to score for Drake on a RBI single to put the Bulldogs up 7-2. A two-run home run extended the Drake lead to 9-2 in the top of the fifth inning.
Indiana State responded with two runs in the bottom of the frame, getting a RBI from Abi Chipps and a RBI double from Bella Peterson to make it a 9-4 game after five innings of play.

Lexie Siwek made it a 9-5 game in the sixth inning with a RBI groundout that scored Cassie Thomerson.

Drake grew their lead to 12-5 in the top of the seventh, scoring a pair on a Sycamore throwing error and a third coming home to score on a sacrifice fly.

Following a leadoff triple from Abi Chipps, Olivia Patton drove her home with a single to left field, making it a 12-6 game which would hold for a Drake victory to even the series.

Cassi Newbanks gets the loss for the Sycamores, dropping her record to 4-9 on the season. Lyndsi Adamson threw 3.2 innings in relief, striking out three.

Bella Peterson notched her second-straight multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-4 at the plate.

Up Next
The series will conclude Saturday with a single game beginning at noon ET.

For the latest information on Sycamore Softball, be sure to visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.