KANSAS CITY – The Drake University softball team is scheduled to play a three-game series against Kansas City this weekend. Drake (2-3) will play a doubleheader Saturday starting at 1 p.m. followed by a single game Sunday at noon. All three games will be held at the Kansas City MLB Urban Youth Academy. Live stats will be available here.
 
The Bulldogs are facing the Roos after their trip to St. Louis to play Saint Louis and Omaha scheduled for Feb. 19-21 was cancelled.
 
Drake started the 2021 season at the annual UNI-Dome Tournament Feb. 12-14. The Bulldogs beat Butler and Omaha and dropped a pair of games to South Dakota State and lost to Iowa State.
 
Drake was without two returners in sophomore third baseman Aubree Beitzinger and senior second baseman Libby Ryan on opening weekend. In their place, the Bulldogs relied heavily on its freshmen, including Addie Lightner, who started all five games at second base. Lightner batted .353 with one double, one home run, three runs and a team-leading seven runs batted in helping her be named the first MVC Newcomer of the Week. Fellow freshman Skylar Rigby started all five games at third base and batted a team-leading .545 and drew a team-high four walks.
 
Senior Macy Johnson started all five games in her usual center field position, batted .471 in the second spot in the order and tied sophomore left fielder Delaney Taylor with four stolen bases. Johnson moved past former teammate, Kennedy Frank (60), with 61 career stolen bases.
 
Senior pitcher Nicole Timmons bounced back against Omaha with a complete game performance capped with nine strikeouts and allowed just three hits. Freshman pitcher Emma Richards earned her first win against Butler helped by 10 strikeouts. Sophomore pitcher Mackenzie Hupke also missed the UNI-Dome Tournament.

Kansas City (4-1) opened its season at the DePaul Tournament Feb. 12-14 with a pair of victories over Valparaiso, one over Loyola and one over Western Michigan with its lone loss to the Blue Demons. Senior Lia Lombardini had a great first weekend, hitting .500 with nine hits, including two home runs and four doubles, with seven runs scored and nine RBI. Lombardini was named The Summit League Player of the Week.
 
Drake returns to its tournament schedule March 4-6 at the Woo Pig Classic hosted by Arkansas. The Bulldogs will play the Razorbacks twice, Kanas twice and Northwestern State once during their trip to Fayetteville, Ark.