TULSA, Okla. – After back-to-back west coast trips, the Drake University softball team travels to the Sooner State for the Oklahoma State/Tulsa Invitational this week.
 
Drake (7-7) starts the invitational Friday in Tulsa with games scheduled against No. 10 Oregon (14-0) at 12 p.m. and Tulsa (8-6) at 5 p.m. The following day the Bulldogs will face UIC (4-6) at 12 p.m. and rematch with the Golden Hurricane at 2:30 p.m. Drake closes the three-day tournament at No. 14 Oklahoma State (8-5) Sunday at 1 p.m. The Tulsa games will have live video here while the game with the Cowboys will be on ESPN+. All of the games will have live stats available at www.godrakebulldogs.com.
 
Drake went 2-2 last weekend at the Grand Canyon Purple Classic as it split with the Lopes, shutout Utah State and lost to CSUN. The Bulldogs' other scheduled contest with CSUN was cancelled after rain hit Phoenix on Saturday.
 
Junior outfielder Macy Johnson compiled a blistering .533 (8-for-12) batting average last weekend. Johnson, who hit safely in all four games in Phoenix, had two three-hit games and has three on the young season. She drove in four runs, scored two runs, stole two bases and took two walks. Johnson, who has recorded at least one hit in 13 of the team's 14 games this season, leads Drake with a .467 batting average, a .571 on-base percentage and six stolen bases. She has 10 stolen bases, which ranks second in the MVC and she ranks sixth all-time at Drake in career walks with 81.
 
Senior shortstop Mandi Roemmich also had eight hits in the four games and scored five runs. Roemmich is rapidly climbing the all-time leaders in career doubles, hits and runs in her final season. She is tied for the top mark in doubles with 42, tied for third all-time in hits with 206 and second in runs with 129.
 
Drake and Oregon are playing each other for the first time since the 2018 NCAA Regional hosted by the Ducks. Oregon won both games, including the regional final to eliminate the Bulldogs. Tulsa, which played in the Missouri Valley from 1993-96, hosted Drake last season and won a tight game 3-2. It was just the fourth victory in the all-time series Drake leads 9-4. UIC and Drake are playing for the first time since 2002 as the Flames hold a slight advantage, 5-3, in the series.
 
Following its trip to Oklahoma, Drake heads to Lawrence, Kan. for the Rock Chalk Challenge, its last non-conference tournament, held March 6-8.