WICHITA, Kan. – The Drake University softball team opens Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend with a three-game series at Wichita State on March 18 and 19. The Bulldogs are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Saturday with the first game set for a 12 p.m. first pitch followed by a single game on Sunday scheduled for an 11 a.m. start.
 
Drake (16-9) is coming off a 2-1 performance at the Jayhawk Invitational hosted by Kansas. Although unable to play Saturday's tournament games due to weather, the Bulldogs took an 11-3 win over Green Bay on Friday and closed out the trip with an 11-1 win over Iowa on Sunday. Drake's sole loss came in a close 3-2 defeat to UMKC.
 
Freshman Sarah Maddox (Henderson, Nev.) continued to build on her outstanding debut season. Maddox, who is batting a team-high .352, leads the MVC in home runs with eight and is second in RBIs with 22. At the Jayhawk Invitational, she went 7-of-11 with two home runs, three runs scored and four RBIs.
 
At the Jayhawk Invitational, junior pitcher Kailee Smith (Murrieta, Calif.) went 1-1 in the circle picking up the Bulldogs' win over Iowa. Smith, who is 7-5 this season, pitched 14.2 innings in three appearances and allowed four runs (three earned) on 15 hits with five strikeouts and two walks.
 
Wichita State (12-10) had a 1-2 record at the Tulsa Invitational last weekend earning a win against Tulsa and dropping a pair of games against Texas Tech and Montana. WSU then hosted No. 13 LSU, Thursday, as the Tigers rallied for a 4-3 victory.
 
The Bulldogs next travel to Omaha, Neb., to face former league rival Creighton on March 22 for a single game scheduled for 4 p.m.