UNI Splits Pair, Downs Buffalo Before Falling to Arkansas

Saturday, March 5

Fayetteville, Ark.

12:30 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

14-5

Buffalo

4-9

UNI

Buffalo

UNI Splits Pair, Downs Buffalo Before Falling to Arkansas

3/5/2016 9:39:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Riley Ubben

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Northern Iowa softball team split a pair of games at the Wooo Pig Classic, defeating Buffalo 7-1 before falling to Arkansas 4-3 in the final game of the evening.

Kristin Lock tallied the Panthers' (14-6) first hit of the afternoon before stealing second and third to move into scoring position with one out. UNI stole four bases in the inning, with all three runners scoring. Courtney Krodinger put the first run on the board with a single hit hard at the Buffalo pitcher to score Lock before her sister Brittany followed suit, driving in two runs to put UNI ahead 3-0.

After Buffalo put one on the board in the following half inning, Lock got in done once again at the plate for UNI. The senior sent one down the left field line to score Chelsea Ross from second, bringing the score to 4-1 in the Panthers' favor. The RBI marked Lock's fourth of the weekend and ninth of the season.

Buffalo threatened to answer back, beginning with back-to-back walks to open the inning before a fielder's choice and two fly outs ended the opportunity.

Micalla Rettinger led-off the fifth inning with a triple to right center, her first of the year. Caitlin Wnek followed with a RBI single two batters later to give the Panthers a 5-1 advantage. Ross' second hit of the day came at an opportune time for the Panthers as she brought two runs around to score with the bases-loaded and a full count with two outs to put UNI ahead by six.

Alyssa Buchanan earned her eighth win of the season in the contest, tossing a complete game while allowing just one earned run and striking out four.

UNI jumped on the board early in game two, plating two runs in their first at-bat. With one out, the Panthers recorded three straight singles, the final from Wnek who brought Rettinger in to score before a bases-loaded walk put UNI ahead 2-0.

Arkansas got on the board in the bottom of the third, beginning with two singles to open the inning to put two on. After the Razorbacks got one across and had a runner on third, Ross struck out the batter and fielded a groundout to end the frame. The Razorbacks would later tie things up in the fourth, 2-2.

The Panthers put together a quick rebuttal in the fifth inning, scoring on a bases-loaded walk from Kennedy Bailey to regain a one run advantage.

The Razorbacks got their first lead of the night in the following half inning via back-to-back solo home runs to grab a 4-3 lead.

UNI looked to tie things up in the top of the seventh after Bailey loaded the bases with a two-out walk, but could not push the game-tying run across.

The Panthers will wrap up play at the Wooo Pig Classic tomorrow when they face off against Buffalo tomorrow morning at 10 a.m.