University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Arkansas
UNI Softball Rolls Past Arkansas, 7-0
2/15/2009 7:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 15, 2009
Minneapolis, Minn. - The UNI softball team completed a successful weekend at the Metrodome Softball Classic with a 7-0 victory over Arkansas in the Panthers' final game of the tournament. The Panthers finished the three-day tournament 4-1 and improve to 7-2 overall on the season. The Razorbacks fall to 5-3 on the year.
Junior pitcher Jen Larsen threw her second complete game two-hit shutout of the tournament and improves to 4-0 on the season in the pitching circle. Larsen has compiled a 0.48 ERA on the year.
The Panthers jumped out to an early first inning lead for the third straight game by taking a 2-0 advantage after the top half of the first inning. Freshman Mackenzie Daigh singled up the middle, and advanced to second after Larsen was walked. Daigh then advanced to third on a wild pitch and junior Rachel Gerking's RBI groundout allowed Daigh to score the first run of the ballgame. Larsen scored on the ensuing play on a wild pitch.
Larsen threw three and 1/3 innings of no-hit softball before giving up her first hit in the bottom of the fourth inning after a Whitney Cloer single. However, the Razorbacks still remained scoreless after four innings of play.
Junior Megan Machovec slammed a homer run down the left field line to extend the Panther lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning. The home run was Machovec's first of the season and just her second of her career. She is currently on a team best six-game hitting streak this season and has a hit in seven of the eight Panther games this year.
The Panthers erupted in the seventh inning scoring four runs on five hits to extend their lead to 7-0 going into the final three outs of the game.
Larsen's RBI single scored freshman Allison Galvin to start the top of the seventh inning to give the Panthers' a 4-0 cushion. Larsen has a team leading 11 RBI this year. Gerking followed with her second RBI of the game and ninth RBI of the year to score Larsen.
Senior Morgan Paulson continued the Panthers seventh inning eruption with a 2 RBI home run. The home run was the first of the season for Paulson and her third of her career; her last home run came during her sophomore season.
The Panthers will head to Baton Rouge, La., next week to take part in the four-team Easton Purple and Gold Challenge. The Panthers will take on 20th-ranked LSU at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 20.
Notes:
Junior Megan Machovec is on a six-game hitting streak and has a team leading .485 batting average and 16 hits.
Junior Jen Larsen is 4-0 pitching this season and has a 0.48 ERA in the 29.1 innings she has logged this season. Larsen is also batting .357 and has team leading 11 RBI.
This marked the third time this season the Panthers hit two home runs in a game.
The Panthers are 7-2 for the second straight year.
