Olejniczak Shines in Collegiate Debut

Saturday, February 10

Cedar Falls, Iowa

12:30 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

2-1

Southeast Missouri State

1-3

SE Missouri State

UNI

Olejniczak Shines in Collegiate Debut

2/10/2018 11:56:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 uni-softball-boxscore--03 uni-softball-boxscore--04

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Northern Iowa softball team picked up a pair of victories over Southeast Missouri State, 8-0, and South Dakota State, 5-2, on day two of the UNI-Dome Classic.

The Panthers have shut out the Redhawks in both games between the two teams this season, and the UNI pitchers have all gone the distance in their starts, combining for four complete games between Jaclyn Spencer (2), Emma Olejniczak, and Brooke Craig.

Northern Iowa vs. Southeast Missouri State | Final Score – W, 8-0 (5 inn.)

Olejniczak, a freshman pitcher, did not disappoint for the Panthers in her first collegiate start.

Despite only striking out one batter, Olejniczak was able to limit the Redhawks' bats, and hold them to three hits over five innings of shut out pitching. Olejniczak faced 21 batters, getting ten to fly out and four to ground out.

The Panthers offense wasted no time setting the tone, scoring five runs in the first inning on six hits. Shortstop Sammey Bunch lined a single up the middle to drive in the first run of the game and Brittney Krodinger followed with an RBI sac bunt to push the lead to two. Olivia Brooks and Tianna Drahn also had RBI base hits in the inning, and Adara Opiola walked in a run to give the Panthers a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first.

The cats added three more runs in the bottom of the 5^th, thanks to a Bunch single to left that drove in two, and a B. Krodinger ground-rule double over the left center fence.

Olejniczak was able to strand two runners on in the top of the fifth to preserve the shutout and end the game on a five-inning run rule.

Northern Iowa vs. South Dakota State | Final Score – W, 5-2

The dominance of Panthers pitching continued in the following game against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. Spencer received the starting nod for the second day in a row and pitched seven quality innings in a complete game effort.

Spencer settled down after allowing a two-run shot in the first inning, pitching six straight scoreless innings en route to her second complete game of the season. Spencer struck out six Jackrabbits, while also getting nine outs on the ground and six in the air.

Bunch continued her torrid start to the season at the plate, collecting two hits and her first homer of the season, while also walking twice. Bunch has driven in five runs in the first four games of the season and has reached base with a hit in each game so far.

Spencer added a sac fly in the bottom of the second to score Drahn, which tied the game up at 2-2. The Panthers would not look back the rest of the game, tacking on runs in the bottom of the fifth by virtue of a Drahn RBI single, and the bottom of the sixth from a bases-loaded walk to B. Krodinger and RBI fielder's choice off the bat of Drahn.

SOCIAL MEDIA –

For the latest information on Panther Softball, follow @UNISoftball on Twitter, unisoftball on Instagram and @UNIPantherSoftball on Facebook.