PALO ALTO, Calif. – The Drake University softball team started the Stanford Invitational with a 7-1 win over Hofstra Friday, Feb. 14 night.
 
Drake (4-2) junior Nicole Timmons (Davenport, Iowa), the reigning MVC Pitcher of the Week, dominated Hofstra (0-1) scattering three hits and striking out 10 in 5.2 innings. Timmons improved to 4-2 on the season.
 
Timmons got all the run support she would need in the bottom of the first frame when the Bulldogs scored four runs and sent eight batters to the plate. Drake's top half of the lineup, Mandi Roemmich (West Des Moines, Iowa), Macy Johnson (Winterset, Iowa) and Libby Ryan (Mount Vernon, Iowa) loaded the bases as they each hit singles. Sarah Maddox (Henderson, Nev) reached on a fielder's choice that scored Roemmich and Kristen Arias (Fresno, Calif.) followed with a groundout that plated Johnson. Freshman Emily Valtman (Newton, Iowa), the MVC Newcomer of the Week after a big offensive debut performance last weekend, singled to left center as Ryan scored. Maddox later scored on a passed ball.
 
Roemmich had a sacrifice fly and Laura Anderson (Boone, Iowa) hit an RBI single in the fourth inning to push the score to 6-0. Hannah Pals (Des Moines, Iowa) plated the Bulldogs' final run in the sixth with an RBI single up the middle.
 
Valtman led the offense with a 2-for-2 performance while eight different Bulldogs had at least one hit.
 
Drake and Hofstra face each other again Saturday at noon CST followed by the Bulldogs' first meeting with Stanford at 5 p.m. CST.