CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The UNI Panthers swept a Tuesday night Missouri Valley Conference doubleheader against the Drake University softball team winning 7-1 and 8-0 at Robinson-Dresser Field in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
 
UNI (32-13, 11-5 MVC) took the first game behind two home runs, a three-run homer in the second inning by Bailey Lange and a two-run homer by Alyssa Buchanan in the fifth inning. The Panthers added two more runs in the fifth on a defensive error by Bulldogs sophomore shortstop Tasha Alexander (Eddyville, Iowa).
 
Drake's (24-18, 12-4 MVC) lone run came in the third inning when freshman Kennedy Frank (Chesterfield, Mo.), who reached on a double to the gap, scored on an error by UNI's shortstop on a ball hit by junior Megan Sowa (Gurnee, Ill.). Frank led Drake with two hits in the game.
 
Sophomore pitcher Nicole Newman (Madison, Wis.) earned the loss for the Bulldogs. Newman allowed five runs on six hits with five walks and six strikeouts. Sophomore Kailee Smith (Murrieta, Calif.) pitched in relief going 1.2 innings and allowed two runs (both unearned) on two hits with one walk and one strikeout. Newman's record moved to 17-9 with the loss.
 
UNI busted out for five runs in the opening inning of the second game behind a run off an error by Alexander, a sacrifice fly and consecutive home runs by Bailey and Courtney Krodinger.
 
Chelsea Ross drove in two more runs in the second inning with a home run and Samantha Olson plated the final run for the Panthers in the third inning.
 
Senior pitcher Mariah McKinnon (Oxford, Iowa) took the loss in the second game for Drake. McKinnon allowed seven runs (six earned) on five hits in 1.1 innings as her record dropped to 5-7. Smith allowed one run on three hits in 2.2 innings in relief.
 
Junior Kaitlyn Finneran (Morrison, Ill.) had the Bulldogs' lone hit in the game.
 
Drake returns to Buel Field to host Wichita State, April 23-24. First pitch on April 23 is noon with a doubleheader scheduled.