Varriano's Blast Gives UNI Weekend Sweep

Sunday, April 2

Cedar Falls, Iowa

11 a.m.

University of Northern Iowa

18-13, 6-3

Evansville

12-19, 4-5

Evansville

UNI

Varriano's Blast Gives UNI Weekend Sweep

4/2/2017 2:21:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - Senior catcher Anna Varriano blasted a solo walk-off home run off the scoreboard in left field in the bottom of the eighth to lift the University of Northern Iowa softball squad to a 3-2 win over Evansville on Sunday.

Varriano led off the bottom of the eighth with her seventh home run of the season, which capped UNI's three-game weekend sweep of Evansville (12-19, 4-5 MVC).

Jaci Spencer got the win in relief of Panther starter Alyssa Buchanan. Spencer worked the final three innings and struck out four while allowing two hits. Spencer moved her mark to 7-5 on the year. Buchanan pitched five innings and gave up two runs to go along with three strikeouts and three walks.

UNI (18-13, 6-3 MVC) started the scoring in the second on a solo home run by Ashley Chesser. The Purple Aces got to Buchanan in the fourth on a pair of two-out RBI singles from Hayli Scott and Brittany Hay.

UNI knotted the game at 2-2 in the sixth after Varriano drew a leadoff walk. Kennedy Bailey moved Varriano to second on sacrifice bunt. Varriano came around on a double to the wall by Sammey Bunch. For Bunch it was her 10th RBI of the weekend series against the Purple Aces.

Spencer allowed a leadoff double by Evansville's Scott in the seventh. But the Panther defense stiffened and did not allow Scott after she advanced to third on a fly out to right by Hay. After the double by Scott, Spencer settled in and set down the last six Evansville batters in the game.

The Panthers will play at home again next weekend against Southern Illinois. UNI and SIU will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at noon and will finish up the three-game set on Sunday with a single game at 11 a.m.