KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Drury lost an extra inning heartbreaker to Rockhurst in their lone game against the Hawks, 4-3. The two teams only played the first game of the doubleheader after weather forced game two to be canceled.
 
The Panthers struck first at the top of the second. Kelsey Palmer worked a two-out walk before scoring from first on a Haley Bryant double to left center.
 
Rockhurst responded to the early deficit instantly. The Hawks scored two in the bottom of the second curiosity of an RBI double from Mya Bristow and an RBI single from Kaylee Pugh.
 
The offenses kept trading punches into the third inning. Claire Nelson drove in Emma Niemczyk on a sac fly for Drury's second run of the game. The Hawks regained the lead in their half of the third after an error in the field for Drury pushed Taylor Sedam across the plate.
 
After a flurry of early runs, the pitching and defenses settled in with Drury trailing 3-2 until the seventh inning. In the seventh inning, Emma Niemczyk and Landry Cochran went back-to-back with singles to put runners on first and second. Claire Nelson loaded the bases with a five-pitch walk. Kaley Adzick hit a fly ball that was deep enough for Niemczyk to score and tie the game at three.
 
Rockhurst was unable to walk it off in the bottom of the seventh inning, sending the game to extra innings.
 
Drury had an opportunity to take a lead in the eighth inning, but the Panthers left the bases loaded.
 
Claire Nelson walked to start the top of the ninth but was left stranded after the next three batters went down in order.
 
Emily Berry gave Rockhurst their best chance to score extra innings after a two-out double in the ninth inning. McKenna Lester walked it off for the Hawks two pitches later after a single down the right field line, giving Rockhurst the 4-3 win.
 
GAME NOTES

• Drury had six hits in the game. Emma Niemczyk and Landry Cochran each had two of them.
• McKenna Lester and Mya Bristow each had three hits. The Hawks totaled ten as a team.
• Drury's defense turned two double plays in the game for the sixth time this season.
• Jordyn Foley pitched a complete game, 8.2 innings, 10 hits allowed, four runs allowed (three earned), and four strikeouts.
• Avery Huffman won her 16th game for the Hawks. Huffman struck out 12 batters and walked eight in her win.
• Drury drops to 1-3 in extra-inning games this season and 7-13 in one-run games.
• All three of the Panthers games this weekend were decided by one run.

 
UP NEXT
Drury returns to Thompson Field for the final week of the regular season with a non-conference doubleheader against Rogers State on April 29, starting at 2 pm.
 
FOLLOW THE PANTHERS
For all the latest information on Drury athletics, please visit drurypanthers.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Panthers on X, Facebook, and Instagram.