Drury University Athletics

EAST PEORIA, Ill. – Drury's postseason run came to an end Friday afternoon as the Panthers fell to top-seeded and nationally ranked No. 2 Indianapolis, 7-2, in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Tournament amid rainy conditions.
 
After a scoreless opening inning and a half, Indianapolis broke through in the bottom of the second. The Greyhounds loaded the bases on two singles and a walk before a 14-minute weather delay temporarily halted play. Following the delay, Sydney Oliver drew a bases-loaded walk to bring home the game's first run. Drury nearly escaped the inning on a potential double play, but Indianapolis was able to score another run on the play while recording the out. Cara Cooper followed with a two-run single to extend the Greyhound lead to 4-0.
 
Drury threatened in the top of the third with a pair of hits, including a double from Claire Nelson, but the Panthers were thrown out at the plate attempting to score from first base.
 
Indianapolis added two more runs in the bottom of the third on a two-run single from Oliver to take a 6-0 advantage.
 
The Panthers answered in the fourth inning. Kaley Adzick singled before Isabel Ervin reached on an error. Reece Anderson moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, setting the stage for Gabrielle Bax. After battling through an eight-pitch at-bat and fouling off five pitches, Bax delivered a two-run double to left-center to score Drury's only runs of the game.
 
Cooper recorded her second of three doubles in the bottom of the fourth and later scored on an RBI single from Cheyenne Eads to push the Indianapolis lead to 7-2.
 
The Greyhounds threatened again in the sixth inning with the bases loaded and no outs, but Adzick worked out of the jam without allowing a run.
 
Facing GLVC Pitcher and Freshman of the Year Caitlin Bunte in the seventh inning, the Panthers were unable to mount a comeback as Indianapolis secured the 7-2 victory.
 
GAME NOTES

• Indianapolis outhit Drury nine to six in the elimination game.
• The Greyhounds were led by Cara Cooper with four hits, three doubles. Maya Rodriguez had two hits for Indianapolis.
• Emma Piercy drew three walks for Indianapolis.
• Kelsey Palmer and Gabrielle Bax each had two hits to lead Drury.
• Bax had both RBIs for Drury.
• Jordyn Foley was the starting pitcher for Drury in the game. She went three innings allowing all seven runs and striking out two batters.
• Kaley Adzick threw the final three innings. Adzick struck out three batters allowing just one run.
• Cheyenne Eads was the winning pitcher for Indianapolis. Eads went four innings allowing two runs (one earned) and struck out three batters.
• Caitlin Bunte closed the door for the Greyhounds in the final three innings just giving up one hit.
• With runners in scoring position, Drury only had one hit out of the six chances. Indianapolis had three hits in 14 chances.

 
SEASON NOTES

• Drury concluded the 2026 season with a 27-29 overall record and a 14-13 mark in Great Lakes Valley Conference play. The season marked the program's seventh straight non-COVID campaign with at least 25 wins, including three under head coach Brooke Gajewski.
• The Panthers reached the GLVC Tournament for the seventh consecutive season. Drury also won at least two games in the conference tournament for just the third time in program history, with two of those occurrences coming in the last two seasons.
• Drury earned two All-GLVC selections this season in Jordyn Foley and Kaley Adzick. The honors marked the ninth and 10th all-conference selections during Gajewski's tenure.
• Foley earned Drury's lone weekly conference honor of the season after being named GLVC Pitcher of the Week. She threw the seventh no-hitter in program history against Quincy while recording a career-high 11 strikeouts.
• Four Panthers were named to the NFCA Top Performers of the Week Team during the season. Landry Cochran earned the recognition twice, while Claire Nelson, Emma Niemczyk, and Jordyn Foley each received the honor once.
• Gajewski surpassed 100 career wins this season following Drury's victory over St. Edward's in February. She now owns 124 career victories, including 92 at Drury, and continues to hold the highest winning percentage in program history at .548.
• Kaley Adzick concluded her standout career with two all-conference selections while surpassing 100 career hits, 300 innings pitched, 200 strikeouts, and 30 victories. She finished with a 2.75 career ERA, the sixth-best in program history, along with 22 wins and 180 strikeouts as a Panther, ranking seventh and eighth all-time, respectively. Her 2.00 ERA this season ranks as the fifth-best single-season mark in program history.
• Reece Anderson moved into fourth place in career assists with 330 and reset her own single-season program record with 170 assists after previously setting the mark at 160.
• Gabrielle Bax finished her career with 229 assists, seventh-most in program history. Her 142 assists this season rank fifth in a single season at Drury.
• Jordyn Foley completed her second season with the Panthers by recording 15 wins in the circle, tied for the fifth-most in a single season in program history. Foley also moved into fifth all-time in career wins with 25 and surpassed 100 career strikeouts this season.
• Landry Cochran totaled six triples this season, tied for the second-most in a single season in program history. She now has eight career triples, ranking fourth all-time.
• Freshman Emma Niemczyk recorded 54 hits, the second-most by a freshman in program history. She also scored 43 runs, tied for the sixth-highest single-season total in program history.
• Avery Budde posted a 12-game hitting streak during the season, tied for the eighth-longest streak in program history.
• As a team, the Panthers set a new single-season program record with 32 double plays turned, surpassing the previous mark of 23 set in 2010.
• Drury also established several single-game records during the season, including most double plays turned in a game with four against Southwest Baptist. Emma Niemczyk and Claire Nelson each recorded four hits in a game, while Kaley Adzick's 13 strikeouts against Quincy ranked among the top five single-game totals in program history.
• The Panthers finished 3-8 against nationally ranked top-25 opponents, including two victories over top-20 teams.
• Drury recorded four walk-off victories during the season, including two from Isabel Ervin and one each from Reece Anderson and Gabrielle Bax.

 
UP NEXT
The GLVC will announce the 2026 All-Tournament team following the championship game on Saturday.
 
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