DUBUQUE – Junior Linnea Drever tallied four hits and four RBIs Saturday as Cornell's softball team split a pair of one-run games at the University of Dubuque.
 
Drever doubled and homered in Cornell's 5-4 Game 1 victory, which saw Lexi Ellermeier go the distance in the pitching circle. In Game 2, the Rams (10-6) rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh before the comeback stalled in a 5-4 loss.
 
Drever, the Midwest Conference leader in batting average (.575), went 3-for-3 with four RBIs in the opener. She doubled home two runs in first inning and cranked a pivotal two-run homer in the third that proved to be the difference. It was Drever's seventh multi-hit game of the season.
 
Ellermeier (5-3) scattered seven hits in her complete-game effort and staved off a Dubuque rally in the seventh. The Spartans (13-5) had the tying run on third base when Ellermeier induced a game-ending groundout to second base.
 
The Rams received one hit apiece Brooke Furman, Lauren Summers, Brianna Risley and Corrin Kennedy. Risley drove in one run.
 
In the nightcap, Drever extended her on-base streak to 16 games with a leadoff single in the seventh. Peyton Souhrada's two-out RBI double brought the Rams to 5-4, although she was left stranded at second when the game ended.
 
The Rams were limited to four hits, which included a double each from Souhrada and Risley. Charlotte Alexander scored twice.
 
Dubuque built a 4-0 lead in the first against Cornell starter Lauren Summers, who allowed just one run the rest of the way. Summers struck out four and walked one.
 
Coming up – The Rams play host to Buena Vista (6-16) for a 1 p.m. doubleheader Sunday at Van Metre Family Softball Field.