University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Missouri
No. 14 Tigers Hold off Panthers, 2-1
3/11/2009 8:00:00 AM | Softball
March 11, 2009
Columbia, Mo. – The University of Northern Iowa softball team fell 2-1 against No. 14 Missouri, despite outhitting the Tigers, 8-3. The game was played indoors at the Dan Devine Pavilion due to inclement weather conditions. The loss snaps UNI's current five-game winning streak and drops the Panthers to 14-5 on the year. Missouri extends its current winning streak to five games and improves to 19-3 on the year.
Freshman Chelsea Thomas picked up the win for the Tigers and improves to 9-2 on season. Thomas struck out eight batters and allowed eight hits. Redshirt freshman Melissa Tillett took the loss and falls to 4-3 on the season. Tillett struck out six batters and allowed only three hits in the contest.
Both teams were unable to push a run across the plate until Missouri scored the first two runs of the in the bottom of the fifth inning after outfielder Gina Schneider's two-RBI two-out single. Missouri took advantage of a Panther fielding error and had two hits in the inning.
The Panthers responded with a run of their own in the top of the sixth inning after freshman Mackenzie Daigh doubled to start the inning. Daigh advanced to third after junior Jen Larsen's groundout and junior Rachel Gerking's RBI groundout drove in Daigh. Gerking ranks second on the Panther roster with 17 RBI this season.
The Panthers placed runners on first and second with no outs in the top of the second inning after Gerking and senior Morgan Paulson both singled. However, the Panthers stranded both runners after Tiger pitcher Chelsea Thomas struck out three straight Panthers looking. Thomas, a freshman from Pleasantville, Iowa, had thrown two straight no-hitters before today's contest.
The Panthers looked primed to push a run across the plate in the top of the third inning after junior Megan Machovec's single in the top of the third inning followed by Daigh's single moved runners to first and second with one out. However, Larsen grounded out into a double play to end the inning.
Senior Kelly Papesh, last week's Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week, singled to right field in the top of the fifth inning to extend her current hitting streak to five games. Papesh advanced to second after a stolen base, but for the third straight inning the Panthers left a runner on second to end the inning.
The Panthers will head to Springfield, Mo., this weekend (March 21-22) to open Missouri Valley Conference play against Missouri State.
Notes:
Junior Megan Machovec has hit in 16 of the Panthers' 19 games this year.
Junior Rachel Gerking's single in the top of the second inning extended her current hit streak to six games. Gerking has had a hit in 16 games this season
Freshman Mackenzie Daigh recorded her 17th hit in 17 games played this season. Daigh finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate.
