TUCSON, Ariz. – The Drake University softball team lost a pair of games to nationally ranked teams on the second-to-last day of the Wildcat Invitational in Tucson. Drake (10-9) fell to No. 19 James Madison, 8-0, in five innings and No. 23 Minnesota, 4-1.  
 
Minnesota (10-5) scored two runs in the second inning and it stayed that score until the fifth inning when Taryn Pena (Columbia, Ill.) launched a leadoff home run to cut the Gophers' lead to 2-1. Minnesota though scored two more runs in the bottom of the frame to lead 4-1. Amber Fiser, who one-hit the Bulldogs in the first game Friday, allowed just one walk the rest of the way as Minnesota earned its second-straight win over Drake.
 
Fiser allowed one run on three hits with 13 strikeouts and four walks in a complete game. Nicole Newman (Madison, Wis.) pitched six innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Newman's record moved to 4-4 on the season.
 
Kennedy Frank (Chesterfield, Mo.) and Mandi Roemmich (West Des Moines, Iowa) each had one hit off Fiser.
 
James Madison (6-2) hit three home runs and Megan Good pitched a one-hitter in the five-inning win. Good hit a three-run home run in the third inning.
 
Roemmich had the only hit off Good while Macy Johnson (Winterset, Iowa) and Newman were the only other Bulldogs to reach base, both came via walks.
 
Nicole Timmons (Davenport, Iowa) allowed five runs on five with two walks and five strikeouts. Timmons' record dropped to 6-5 with the loss. Hannah Pals (Des Moines, Iowa) pitched 1.1 innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits.
 
Drake ends the Wildcat Invitational Sunday morning with a 10 a.m. game against Kent State.