University of Northern Iowa
Creighton
Panthers Advance to MVC Championship Game
5/10/2013 1:00:00 AM | Softball
OMAHA, Neb. – The University of Northern Iowa softball team earned a 1-0 victory over the No. 1-seeded Creighton University Bluejays in the semifinals of the 2013 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
UNI (25-24) jumped out to an early lead, 1-0, in the top of the first inning after Nicole Fisher connected for an opening-pitch home run over the left centerfield wall. It was Fisher's eighth home run on the season.
Hits were slow to come by all afternoon off Creighton's Becca Changstrom. The Panthers collected just four hits throughout the duration of the game generating just the single run in the first inning.
The Bluejays had an opportunity to put some runs on the board in the bottom of the third with bases loaded, no outs, and the number three and four batters in the lineup due up. The Panthers responded defensively holding the Bluejays scoreless and spoiling the opportunity after fielding a pair of ground balls and a strikeout from Jamie Fisher.
Fisher (20-13) tossed an impressive game inside the circle while keeping the Bluejays off the scoreboard throughout the game. Fisher went the distance allowing four hits and tallying 12 strikeouts.
With the win, Fisher improves to 20 wins on the season and a career total of 60 which ties the school record for career pitching victories. The record was previously set by Sarah O'Byrne who pitched for UNI from 1987-90.
The Panthers are set to take the field again tomorrow evening at 5:07 p.m. in the Missouri Valley Conference championship game. The Panthers have appeared in three MVC title games (1990, 1998, 1999), finding its only title in 1990 after defeating Western Illinois in the championship game, 3-2.
UNI will take on the winner of this afternoon's Drake-Evansville matchup in the MVC Championship game for a chance to take part in the 2013 NCAA Tournament.
The championship game will be broadcast on FOX Sports Midwest, FOX Sports Indiana, FOX Sports Kansas City, FOX College Sports, Comcast SportsNet Chicago and ESPN3.
