DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University softball team swept a Missouri Valley Conference doubleheader against Illinois State Friday, April 19 at Buel Field.
 
Drake (32-13, 17-1 MVC), which claimed its seventh league series with the sweep and improved its winning streak to 18 games, defeated Illinois State (12-29, 6-7 MVC) 8-0 in five innings in the opener and then edged the Redbirds, 3-2, in the finale.  
 
In the first victory, Nicole Newman (Madison, Wis.) recorded her 16^th double-digit strikeout game of the season. Newman improved her record to 19-6 as she pitched five innings and allowed just one hit and one walk with 10 strikeouts. At the plate, Newman drove in one run with a third-inning sacrifice fly.
 
The Bulldogs had a three-run second-inning and a five-run fifth-inning for their eighth run-rule win in conference play.
 
Mandi Roemmich (West Des Moines) and Macy Johnson (Winterset, Iowa) led Drake from the top of the order. The Bulldogs' 1-2 hitters each had two hits and one run batted in while Johnson scored one run. Abby Buie (Gardner, Kan.) plated the final run to end the game early as her shallow single scored Sarah Maddox (Henderson, Nev.). Laura Anderson (Boone, Iowa) came through with a clutch two-out pinch-hit single that scored two of the Bulldogs' five runs in the fifth.
 
In the final victory, Nicole Timmons (Davenport, Iowa) and Newman teamed up in the circle. Timmons, who started the contest, pitched 4.1 innings and allowed two runs on five hits with one walk and seven strikeouts. Newman entered in the fifth inning with Redbirds on first and second base with one but quickly coaxed two outs to escape jam. Newman allowed just one hit the rest of the game and finished with an impressive seven strikeouts in 2.2 innings of work. Timmons improved to 13-7 overall while Newman tallied her league-leading fifth save.  
 
Roemmich and Johnson had great second games as they finished with three and two hits, respectively. Roemmich, who clubbed two doubles, scored the team's first run in the first inning after Johnson stole second with Roemmich at third as the Redbirds' catcher threw back to third with no one there as Roemmich raced home on the throwing error.
 
Drake scored its final two runs the next inning with two outs. Gabbie Jonas (Omaha, Neb.) started the inning and reached on an error by the shortstop. With two outs, Roemmich roped a double to left field that scored Jonas and then she raced home on a throwing error by the Redbirds' shortstop going to home that allowed Roemmich to come all the way in.
 
Illinois State scored its first run on a leadoff solo home run by Allison Spence off Timmons in the second inning and its other run in the fifth, also off Timmons.
 
The teams will finish the series Saturday with one game at 12 p.m. It will be broadcast on ESPN3.