DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University softball team completed two walkoff victories over Bradley (13-17, 2-4 MVC) Friday afternoon to remain undefeated in Missouri Valley Conference play. The Bulldogs opened the day with a 10-2 five-inning victory before a comeback 9-8 win over the Braves.   
 
Drake (24-9, 7-0 MVC) was led by Nicole Newman (Madison, Wis.) who continued to show her strength in the circle while also having a career day at the plate. Newman (10-2) pitched a complete five innings in game one of the doubleheader. She gave up four hits with two unearned runs and seven strikeouts.
 
Newman, who entered the day without a hit on the season, went 3-for-3 in game one with three runs batted in including a walkoff solo homerun to secure the five-inning run-rule victory.
 
Drake picked up 23 hits on the day and scored 19 runs and nabbed seven stolen bases.
 
The Bulldogs jumped out to a quick start in game one as eight Bulldog batters reached in a seven-run first inning. After leadoff batter Mandi Roemmich (West Des Moines, Iowa) struck out, Kennedy Frank (Chesterfield, Mo.) and Macy Johnson (Winterset, Iowa) recorded back-to-back singles. Taryn Pena (Columbia, Ill.) sent a ball deep into center field for an RBI double to put Drake up 2-0. Kailee Smith (Murrieta, Calif.) drew a walk on a full count before Sarah Maddox (Henderson, Nev.) added another hit to score Pena. Three more hits and two walks for Drake helped them close out the inning with a 7-0 lead.
 
After Drake added another run in the second, Bradley opened the third with back-to-back singles. With one out, the Braves pulled one down the left field line that went under Pena's legs at third base and allowed two runs.
 
Pena drew a leadoff walk before pinch runner Libby Ryan (Mount Vernon, Iowa) stole second in the fourth. A single by Smith set up pinch runner Abby Buie (Gardner, Kan.) to steal second base before Ryan scored on an error by Bradley.
 
After going down 7-3 in the second game, the Bulldogs mounted a comeback to tie the game 8-8 before Pena notched a walkoff single that scored Johnson from second.
 
A pair of hits from Pena and Maddox in the first inning helped Drake jump out to an early 2-0 lead. Bradley took advantage of miscues from pitcher Nicole Timmons (Davenport, Iowa) in the second inning who had two hit by pitches and one walk and allowed three runs before she was pulled for Smith.
 
Roemmich cut Bradley's lead by one after reaching base on a hit by pitch in the second. Roemmich stole second before scoring on a single from Frank.
 
The Bulldogs began to mount their comeback with two runs in the fifth inning on RBIs from Kelsey Wright (Olathe, Kan.) and Buie. Back-to-back singles from Frank and Johnson opened up the sixth inning before Ryan laid down a sac bunt to advance the pair to second and third. Smith sent a single out to left field that scored Frank before Johnson scored on the play after a throwing error by Bradley's right fielder allowed her to score. Wright then tied the game at 8-8 with a sharp RBI single to left field. 
 
Smith (6-3) pitched 5.2 innings in relief of Timmons and allowed two runs (one earned) on eight hits with six strikeouts. Timmons allowed six runs on three hits in 1.1 innings pitched. 
 
Following Friday's doubleheader, Bradley and Drake close the series Saturday with a single game at an adjusted start time of 11 a.m. The series finale will be broadcast on The Valley on ESPN3.