CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The Drake University softball team continued its strong start in their opening weekend with a pair of victories over Green Bay and South Dakota State on Saturday.
 
Drake (3-0) opened its season Friday night with an 11-0 five-inning win over Green Bay (1-3) before defeating them again this afternoon by a score of 6-0. The Bulldogs then closed out the night with a 10-2 six-inning victory over South Dakota State (1-3)
 
Senior pitcher Kailee Smith (Murrieta, Calif.) made her season debut against Green Bay. Smith (1-0) pitched a complete game and allowed only four hits, striking out two batters and giving up one walk. Freshman pitcher Nicole Timmons (Davenport, Iowa) made her first career start in a Drake uniform, earning the win against South Dakota State. Timmons (1-0) pitched six innings and allowed two runs on four hits with four walks and strikeouts.
 
Drake senior Kelsey Wright (Olathe, Kan.) went 3-for-6 on the day with two runs scored and three runs batted in. Freshman Macy Johnson (Winterset, Iowa) recorded four hits and two runs in the win versus South Dakota State.
 
Drake entered the fourth inning against Green Bay with the game scoreless. Junior Kennedy Frank (Chesterfield, Mo.) opened the inning with a single up the middle before stealing second. Wright then cracked a double, scoring Frank. Back-to-back walks for Smith and sophomore Sarah Maddox (Henderson, Nev.) loaded the bases setting up a sac fly from senior Tasha Alexander (Eddyville, Iowa) for a 2-0 Drake lead.
 
The Bulldogs extended their lead in the fifth inning, starting with a ground-rule double from sophomore Abby Buie (Gardner, Kan.). A single by sophomore Mandi Roemmich (West Des Moines, Iowa) brought in Buie before Johnson reached first base on a walk. Another double from Wright scored Roemmich, followed by a wild pitch scoring Johnson. Maddox then closed out the inning with a RBI single to score Wright for the sixth run.
 
Against South Dakota State, Drake pounded 17 hits and jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning. A four-run second inning was enough to secure the Bulldogs victory. Drake opened the frame with back-to-back walks and a single from Johnson to load the bases. Hits by Wright and Maddox brought in three runs before a groundout allowed Wright to score. Drake added another two runs in the fourth and one in the sixth to close out the game. 
 
South Dakota State scored its two runs in the fourth inning. With two outs and one runner on Julia Andersen singled up the middle followed by a walk, loading the bases. Ali Herdliska singled bringing in two runners.
 
Drake closes out the tournament Sunday with games against Southeast Missouri State and UMKC at 11:45 a.m. and 2 p.m., respectively.