DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University softball team is set to play five games this week, including four home games at Ron Buel Field, beginning Tuesday, April 12 when it hosts Creighton at 4 p.m.
 
Drake owns a 23-12 overall record and is undefeated in Missouri Valley Conference play at 11-0. The Bulldogs swept their first four MVC series this season, the latest a weather shortened two-game series at Loyola, matching their best start ever in league play. The 2011 team opened MVC play 11-0 before dropping their first conference game.
 
Outstanding pitching has been instrumental to Drake's hot start in Valley action. Sophomore Nicole Newman (Madison, Wis.) is 9-0 with one save, a 1.31 earned run average and 77 strikeouts. Senior Mariah McKinnon is 2-0 with a 3.36 ERA.
 
Three Bulldogs are swinging hot bats against league opponents, led by freshman Taryn Pena (Columbia, Ill.) with a .433 batting average. Right behind Pena, is junior Megan Sowa (Gurnee, Ill.) at .432 along with four home runs and 17 runs batted in. Freshman Kennedy Frank (Chesterfield, Mo.) is the other hitter above .400 as Frank is batting .413 along with two home runs and eight RBI.
 
Drake defeated Creighton and Iowa twice each last season while the Bulldogs took two out of three games against Missouri State.
 
The Bulldogs travel to Iowa City, Iowa, on Wednesday, April 13 for a 5:30 p.m. game before returning to Des Moines to host Missouri State for three games this weekend (April 16-17).