PEORIA, Ill. -- Junior Joanna Pettit hit safely for the fifth consecutive game, but Bradley managed just two singles off Drake pitcher Jessica Hicks as the Bulldogs used a six-run fifth inning to highlight an 8-0 Drake victory, Saturday in Missouri Valley Conference softball action at Laura Bradley Park. Originally scheduled to play two games on Saturday, the teams will play a doubleheader on Sunday at noon to conclude the three-game Valley series.

Bradley (12-27 overall, 3-15 MVC) limited Drake to five hits, but committed three errors and collected just two hits on the afternoon while losing its fifth consecutive game.

Drake capitalized on three walks in the first inning, scoring two unearned runs. Lindsay Larry drew a lead off walk and stole second base. Larry moved to third base on a groundout and Shanna Cook reached via a base on balls with two outs. After Susan Slycord drew a walk to load the bases, both Cook and Larry scored on an error on a ground ball hit by Emily Hajduk as the Bulldogs grabbed an early 2-0 lead.

Junior pitcher Brittany Dehler pitched four innings of no-hit ball before Drake tallied all five of its hits in the six-run fifth inning. Nicole Wood singled and Jenna Wilkin had a one-out single. Katie Wappler plated Wood with a double to left field. With runners at second and third, Cook hit a ball to shortstop and Wilkin raced home to beat Kowalewski's throw on the fielder's choice to push Drake's lead to 4-0. A single and Bradley error allowed Wappler to score the third run of the inning and pinch hitter Mollie Daniels drew a bases loaded walk to score Cook. Jamie Desjarlais singled through the left side of the infield to knock in Jaci Faidley from third base and Wood capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly to left field as Drake built an 8-0 lead.

The Braves were retired in order in the bottom of the fifth as the Bulldogs improved to 22-18 overall, 9-9 in the Valley. Bradley managed two hits off Drake starter Jessica Hicks, with Pettit hitting a single in the first and freshman Trisha Kowalewski smacking a two-out single in the third. Hicks kept the Braves off balance all afternoon, striking out nine and walking one in the win.

Dehler took the loss for the Braves, falling to 8-14 on the year. She struck out four and walked five, while giving up eight runs (five earned) in the setback.

The teams close out the three-game Valley series Sunday with a noon doubleheader at Laura Bradley Park.