Panthers Top Arkansas 3-0 For Fourth Straight Win

Friday, March 2

Fayetteville, Ark.

3:00 PM

University of Northern Iowa

Arkansas

Panthers Top Arkansas 3-0 For Fourth Straight Win

3/2/2007 7:00:00 AM | Softball

By: UNI Athletics Communications

March 2, 2007

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Stephanie Aguero continued her hot streak at the plate to lead the University of Northern Iowa softball team to its fourth straight victory Friday, a 3-0 win over Arkansas at Lady'Back Yard.

Aguero, who finished 3-for-3 for the game and wrapped up a 5-for-6 day at the plate that included three doubles and four runs batted in, helped the Panthers improve to 2-0 on the opening day of the Holiday Inn Express-Arkansas Invitational.

Aguero (Muscatine, Iowa/Muscatine) put the Panthers on the board with a double to the left-center field gap in the bottom of the second that drove in Jen Larsen (Moline, Ill./Moline), who led off the frame with a double and then advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Ashley Lepley (Albia, Iowa/Albia). Heather Tarter (Fairbury, Ill./Prairie Central) followed with a single into short left field that plated Aguero and gave the Panthers a 2-0 lead.

Lepley allowed just a single hit over her first four innings in the circle and a total of only three baserunners in that span as she held up the Panthers' two-run second inning with solid pitching.

The Lady `Backs put together their first scoring threat in the top of the fifth, with Whitney Cloer leading off the inning with a single and Samantha Buckner following with a double that gave Arkansas a pair of runners in scoring position with no one out.

After Lepley struck Jessica Waddle out looking, Jess Reed drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Lepley induced a shot flyout by leadoff hitter Jessica Bachkora for the second out, however, and then forced the Lady `Backs to leave the bases loaded as she forced Rachel LeMaster into a short fly to left.

Larsen led off with her second double of the day in the Panthers' half of the sixth, and Aguero followed two batters later with a double to right-center -- her second of the game and third of the day - to plate Larsen and give the Panthers a late insurance run.

Arkansas loaded the bases with one out again in the top of the seventh, with two singles and a walk off Lepley filling the bags. Again, however, the Lady `Backs came up empty. Larsen, pitching in relief, induced a pop up for the second out of the inning and then snared a line drive for the final out. For the game, Arkansas left 10 runners on base.

Lepley picked up the pitching win to improve to 3-2 on the year, while Larsen earned her first collegiate save with a spotless effort over the final 2/3 of an inning.

UNI turned its fourth double play of the day in the second inning. The Panthers registered three twin killings in their first game of the day, a 6-3 win over Louisiana-Monroe.

With the win, the Panthers improved to 6-4 on the season, while Arkansas fell to 6-13.

The Panthers return to action Saturday with an 11 a.m. meeting with Arkansas and a 3 p.m. game against Louisiana-Monroe.