UNI, Loyola Split Pair of Extra-Inning Matchups

Saturday, April 22

Chicago, Ill.

12 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

26-15, 14-4

Loyola

22-20, 5-13

UNI

Loyola Chicago

UNI, Loyola Split Pair of Extra-Inning Matchups

4/22/2017 7:02:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

CHICAGO - The University of Northern Iowa softball team split its doubleheader against Loyola as the two squads battled to a pair of extra-inning affairs.

The Panthers grabbed game one, 7-6 in nine innings and lost game two after a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 10th from the Ramblers' Brooke Wilson.

UNI is 26-16 overall and 14-5 in the Missouri Valley Conference, while Loyola is now 23-20 overall and 6-13 in conference play.

GAME ONE
Loyola jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first following back-to-back doubles by Alyssa Mannucci and Katie Kasubke.

UNI evened the score at 1-1 in the top of the second. Anna Varriano singled up the middle and moved to second on groundout by Jaclyn Spencer. Sammey Bunch followed with an RBI single to right to score Varriano.

The Ramblers moved ahead 3-1 in the third when Mannucci connected on a two-run home run to left.

The Panthers retied the contest at 3-3 on a pair of solo homers from Ashley Chesser and Spencer in the top of the fourth.

The Ramblers retook a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the fourth after another round of back-to-back doubles - this time from Brooke Wilson and Shannon McGee.

UNI took its first lead of the opening game when Macey Wolfe drove in two runs on a single right. Wolfe's two-out two-run hit scored Brittney Roby and Brittney Krodinger to give UNI a 5-4 advantage in the top of the fifth.

Loyola scored the equalizer in the bottom of the sixth when the home squad manufactured a run off a single, sacrifice bunt, groundout and RBI single.

UNI used the type of offense in the top of the seventh to take a 6-5 lead. Kennedy Bailey singled to lead off the seventh and head coach Ryan Jacobs sent in Courtney Krodinger to run. Tianna Drahn sacrificed Krodinger to second. Krodinger moved to third on a groundout by her sister Brittney Krodinger. Roby followed with a clutch two-out RBI single to second.

But the Ramblers would not go quietly and knotted it up at 6-6 on a sacrifice fly by Jordyn Cordell in the bottom of the seventh.

Both squads were scoreless in the eighth before UNI scored the game-winner in the top of the ninth. Bailey reached on a one-out error and moved to second on a groundout by Drahn. Brittney Krodinger drove in Bailey with a single dow the right field line to give UNI its sixth straight win, 7-6.

Bailey Lange worked the final three innings and got the win for the Panthers. Lange gave up two hits and struck out four in moving to 5-8 on the season.

GAME TWO
Alyssa Buchanan began the nightcap by pitching 4 2/3 innings of no-hit ball before Jamie O'Brien singled to break it up. Buchanan pitched a complete game and gave up only four hits and struck out six. Buchanan allowed a single run - a solo home run by Brooke Wilson to lead off the 10th inning for the Ramblers.

UNI mustered eight hits in the second game but could not plate a run. The Panthers left runners on base in each of the first six innings.

UNI got out of a potential loss in the bottom of the eighth when Loyola attempted a suicide squeeze bunt. But Buchanan fielded the bunt and threw to Anna Varriano who applied the tag to Wilson as she attempted to score from third.

However, the next time up, Wilson found her way around the bases with a home run to right field that gave the Ramblers a 1-0 victory and a split of the doubleheader.

The final game of the series will be on Sunday at 11 a.m.