Coach Jacobs earns 400th win in first day of MTSU Invitational

Thursday, March 10

Murfreesboro, TN

10 AM

University of Northern Iowa

6-9

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

10-10

UNI

Chattanooga

Coach Jacobs earns 400th win in first day of MTSU Invitational

3/10/2022 3:45:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- UNI softball opened up another tournament with a 1-1 split on Thursday for the MTSU Invitational.

The Panthers began the MTSU Invitational with a career win for Head Coach Ryan Jacobs and a close contest. UNI jumped out to an early lead but wouldn't be able to get back on top in their first game of the day against Chattanooga. But the Panthers would rally back for a big win against host team Middle Tennessee for Kailyn Packard's second shutout of the season and Coach Jacobs 400th career win.

UNI vs. Chattanooga | L, 2-3

It was a hot start to the tournament for UNI as they scored the first run during the top of the first. Center fielder Madison Parks would come home on a bases-loaded play after a single along the left-field line by shortstop Kylee Sanders. But the Mocs would grab the final out on the same play at third, ending the Panthers offensive threat.

Chattanooga would answer right back as well with a three-run bottom of the first off of three hits. Despite a leadoff out for the Mocs, five of six batters would reach base after as Chattanooga's offense got cooking. The Mocs would score on two separate plays before a foul out to third baseman Brooke Snider would end the inning.

The Panthers would be able to add another run in the fourth as leadoff batter Kylee Sanders hit her first collegiate home run. But UNI wouldn't be able to find another run to tie the game up despite threatening in both the sixth and the seventh to drop their first game 2-3. Starting pitcher Hailey Sanders would be credited with the loss through three innings pitched while Samantha Heyer would close out the game in relief.

UNI vs. Middle Tennessee | W, 5-0

The Panthers second game of the day would start similarly as Parks helped to score the first run of the game in the top of the first. A leadoff walk for designated player Mya Dodge and a double from right fielder Sammy Moss put runners at third and second for Parks who flew a pitch out to right field to bring Dodge home. UNI's next two batters would field out but the half-inning set up a good start for the Panthers.

Starting pitcher Kailyn Packard took the momentum of the hot start to get a strikeout and three outs in the bottom of the inning after a leadoff single. The game would stay pretty silent after the first until UNI had an extremely productive fifth inning. First baseman DarynLamprecht started the offense with a double to right field. She was soon brought home by Sammy Moss two batters later along with Dodge making it to third.

Dodge and Moss would score on the next play as Parks ripped a single through center field to bring both runners home. The Panthers would add to their lead one more time in the fifth as Parks found her way home on a Sanders double to left-center with two outs on the board. UNI's strongest inning of the day was brought to an end shortly after as second baseman Taylor Hogan struck out swinging.

The Panthers fielding and Packard's expertise in the circle made the next two and a half innings quick ones. Packard added three more strikeouts to her total in the fifth, sixth, and seventh, including the final out of the game to secure her second shutout of the season. She would end the day with seven innings pitched, four hits, and six strikeouts in 26 batters faced. Both Dodge and Moss would have multiple hits for the Panthers while six others collected a single hit.

The win against Middle Tennessee was also Head Coach Ryan Jacob's 400th career win. Jacobs has been Head Coach of the Panthers since 2006 and collected his first win in his first game with the Panthers at the UNI-Dome tournament against Dayton.