DES MOINES, Iowa – Two exciting victories on Saturday saw the University of Evansville softball team earn a road series sweep over Drake at Buel Field. Following a 5-3 win in the opener, the Purple Aces hung on for a 9-7 win in game two.
 
Evansville earned its first Missouri Valley Conference 3-game series sweep since 2024 when the Aces took three games against Valparaiso. It marked the first conference road sweep for the program since 2019 when Evansville took three games against Missouri State in Springfield, Mo.
 
Game 1 – UE 5, Drake 3
 
Brooke Voss' 2-run home run in the top of the seventh inning gave the Purple Aces a 5-3 win in Saturday's opener. Starting pitcher Kate Ridgway struck out a career-high 11 batters while tossing another complete game. As a team, UE compiled nine hits with Emma McDonald, Maliyah Wilkins, and Niki Bode finishing with two apiece. McDonald added two runs while Voss paced the squad with three RBI.
 
Wilkins led the top of the second off with a single before advancing to second on a wild pitch and third on a sacrifice by Jess Willsey. Ashtyn Holbrook brought her in with a sacrifice fly to center field. The Bulldogs quickly tied the game with a run in the bottom of the frame, however, the Aces retook the lead in the third. McDonald opened with a single and stole second. With two outs, she scored on a double by Niki Bode.
 
Drake tied things up with a score in the bottom of the fourth but UE came right back in the fifth. Angela Valentine recorded a leadoff double and scored the go-ahead run until Drake rallied once again with the tying run in the bottom of the inning. Looking to regain the lead, Evansville posted two hits in the sixth with Morgan Adams and Wilkins reaching on singles, but the run was halted on a double play.
 
After Ridgway retired the side in order to complete the sixth, UE came through in the seventh. Following two quick outs, McDonald extended the inning with a double to bring Voss to the plate. A clutch 2-run home run to left center put the Aces back on top and would prove to be the game-winner. The Bulldogs put two runners on in the bottom of the inning before Ridgway struck out the side to end the game.
 
Game 2 – UE 9, Drake 7
 
Evansville took an 8-0 lead in the top of the fifth and looked to put an early end to the game before a furious rally by Drake made things interesting before the Aces held on for a 9-7 victory to secure the series sweep.
 
A huge start saw UE jump out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first. Brooke Voss hit a leadoff single and would score on a double by Niki Bode. Next up was Morgan Adams who homered to right center to make it a 3-0 game. Following a pitching change by the Bulldogs, Jess Willsey hit a home run to right center to cap off the 4-run inning.
 
Drake had multiple scoring chances over the next handful of innings as they stranded two runners in the bottom of the first before leaving the bases loaded in the third, however, Alexis Tucker kept them off the board each time.
 
Taylor Howe led off the top of the fifth with a home run to left field while Bode followed with a single. With one out, Eliza Piggott hit a 2-run shot to right center. Willsey followed with her second solo homer of the contest to make it an 8-0 score. Just when it looked like the Aces would cruise to the shutout, the Bulldogs staged a rally. Ava Husak ended the shutout with a 2-run home run as Drake scored four in the bottom of the fifth.
 
Bode got one of the runs back with a solo shot in the sixth as the score was 9-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh. The Bulldogs plated three runs and looked to do more damage as they loaded the bases with two outs. Kate Ridgway entered the game and picked up the final our on a fly ball to left as she earned the save. Tucker earned the win allowing three runs, two earned, in 4 1/3 innings of work.
 
The offense erupted for 13 hits including six home runs. Willsey went 3-4 with two solo home runs while Bode had a 3-for-5 day with a solo homer, three runs, and two RBI. Piggott and Howe added two hits apiece.