Drake University softball pitcher Nicole Newman set an NCAA record Friday, pitching her fifth perfect game of the season in a 7-0 victory against Bradley in the Missouri Valley Conference softball tournament semifinals, ESPN reported.
Bradley (27-6), a senior, also struck out 18 batters in the seven-inning game to tie a career high. She snapped a tie with four other players who had four perfect games in a season. The last player with four was Oklahoma's Paige Parker in 2015, Yahoo! Sports reported.
Newman's 18 strikeouts also set a tournament record, the Peoria Journal Star reported.
Drake (41-14), the top-seeded team in tournament, faces Northern Iowa (28-22) in Saturday’s championship game, the newspaper reported.
