UNI softball to face in state rival Drake in first MVC Tournament game

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vs NIACC

Sep 20

1 p.m.

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vs Kirkwood

Sep 24

5 p.m.

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vs Iowa

Sep 26

6 p.m.

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vs Iowa State

Sep 27

11 a.m.

Softball

vs Drake

Sep 28

11 a.m.

Softball

vs Rock Valley

Oct 4

1 p.m.

Softball

vs Hawkeye

Oct 8

5 p.m.

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vs HIT-A-THON

Oct 9

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UNI softball vs. Drake

11 a.m. | May 13
Springfield, Mo. | Killian Stadium (1,200)
ESPN+ | R.C. McBride: Play-by-Play, Laura Leonard: Analyst

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- As the highest seed in the MVC Softball Championship, the Panthers will face the Drake Bulldogs for the fourth time this season.

UNI softball now knows their first opponent in the MVC Championship tournament after the second day of play at Killian Stadium. The Panthers will see the Drake Bulldogs for the fourth time this year after they defeated the Bradley Braves 9-6 on Thursday evening in the third round of the tournament. UNI swept the regular season series against the Bulldogs with doubleheader wins and a single game win at the end of April.

THE PANTHERS:
- As the first seed in the tournament, UNI has one of the longer byes of the week. The Panthers will be the second to last team to play their first game of the tournament on Friday morning with an 11 a.m. start against Drake.
- UNI ended the regular season with a loss. The Panthers put up just one hit and one walk in a 2-1 loss to the Braves at Petesen Hotels Field in Peoria, their lowest hit total of the season.
- Sophomore catcher Emmy Wells is having a historic season for UNI softball. Wells is now in the top 3 in program records in home runs (19), runs batted in (51), and slugging percentage (0.857). Wells could move into first place in home runs and RBIs depending on post season play at the MVC Tournament.
- The Panthers took home several end of season awards from the Missouri Valley Conference on Wednesday. Wells was named both the Player of the Year and the Defensive Player of the Year, the first player to do so since the latter award was introduced in 2015. While freshman Mya Dodge grabbed the Freshman of the Year Award. Both players made the All-MVC First Team along with Taylor Hogan and Kailyn Packard. Samantha Heyer and Madison Parks were also named to the All-MVC Second Team

THE BULLDOGS:
- Drake is the fourth seed in the tournament after finishing the year at 20-28 with a 14-12 conference record.
- Several members of the Bulldogs earned post season honors from the Missouri Valley Conference. Two players: Macy Johnson and Emily Valtman were named to the All-MVC First Team while three players: Delaney Taylor, Addie Lightner, and Paige Bedsworth were named to the All-MVC Second Team.
-Drake won its first game of the tournament on Thursday evening against the Bradley Braves. The Bulldogs took the lead early with a steal home in the bottom of the second. It was a back and forth game between the two teams until Drake took a 7-5 lead in the fifth off a double. The Bulldogs would keep the lead through the final two innings to win their quarterfinals game.
- The Bulldogs were led in their first game of the tournament by Lightner with one run, two hits, and three RBIs while pitcher Mackenzie Hupke grabbed the win in the final three inning with four strikeouts and four walks.

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