FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Drake University softball team defeated IUPUI, 5-0, and SEMO, 6-2, Friday, Feb. 22 on the first day of the Razorback Invitational.
 
Drake (7-4) ripped off four runs in the first inning against SEMO. Kennedy Frank (Chesterfield, Mo.) batted in two runs with a single and Alexia Lara (Bettendorf, Iowa) drove in the other two runs with a double. The Bulldogs added their final two runs the next frame with Nicole Newman's (Madison, Wis.) two-run double.
 
In the circle, Nicole Newman (Madison, Wis.) snapped a two-game losing streak, and improved to 3-2. Newman threw five innings and allowed one run on three hits with eight strikeouts, and worked around five walks. Nicole Timmons (Davenport, Iowa) pitched two innings in relief.
 
In the victory over IUPUI, Timmons pitched her second-ever shutout. Timmons, who improved to 4-2, allowed one hit with a career-high 13 strikeouts and worked around five walks.
 
Taryn Pena (Columbia, Ill.) powered the Bulldogs' offense, hitting her second home run of the season, a two-run shot, in the fifth inning. Macy Johnson (Winterset, Iowa) and Libby Ryan (Mount Vernon, Iowa) each went 1-for-3 and drove in one run.
 
Drake and SEMO will play each other again Saturday morning at 10 a.m. The Bulldogs then play host Arkansas at 2 p.m.