DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University softball team snapped a seven-game losing streak winning a doubleheader against Indiana State Saturday afternoon in its home opener at Ron Buel Field. The Bulldogs won each game over the Sycamores by a score of 5-0.
 
Drake (18-16, 2-6 MVC) defeated its first Missouri Valley opponent of the season with the wins over Indiana State (15-16, 2-6 MVC). The Bulldogs never trailed against the Sycamores taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning of game 1. Junior Kelsey Wright (Olathe, Kan.) led off the second inning with her first home run of the season before senior Megan Sowa (Gurnee, Ill.) doubled scoring freshman Mandi Roemmich (West Des Moines, Iowa) in the third inning. Sowa led the Bulldogs going 3-for-6 on the day with two runs batted in and one run scored. 
 
Junior Kailee Smith (Murietta, Calif.) earned her first career shutout in game 1. Smith, now 9-11, pitched 10.2 innings between the two games and gave up eight hits, zero runs, one walk and struck out eight batters. Freshman Abby Buie (Gardner, Kan.) had her first career start in the circle in the second game. Buie went 3.1 innings allowing three hits while walking one batter.
 
The Bulldogs added two more runs in the fifth inning of game one, including Buie's first career home run.
 
Both teams went scoreless through three innings to start game two. Sophomore Kennedy Frank (Chesterfield, Mo.) led off the fourth inning with a walk before stealing second base. Roemmich and Sowa hit back-to-back singles as Sowa's scored Frank. The Bulldogs tallied two more runs to finish the fourth inning to lead 3-0 and later added two more insurance runs. Smith worked out of a bases loaded situation in the seventh inning to keep the shutout win. 
 
Drake will look to sweep Indiana State in the series on Sunday at 11 a.m. before welcoming in-state opponent Iowa to Des Moines on Wednesday, April 5 at 6 p.m.