Friday, February 24
Atlanta, GA
9 AM
University of Northern Iowa
1-6
9
vs
0
Western Carolina University
2-3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Northern Iowa
0
0
0
0
3
2
4
9
13
0
Western Carolina
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Packard, Kailyn (1-0)
L: Tessa Juett (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Sanders, Kylee 2 ; Snider, Brooke 1 ; Moss, Sammy 3
RBI: Sanders, Kylee 2 ; Snider, Brooke 1 ; Kelley, Hannah 1 ; Owen, Ellie 2 ; Moss, Sammy 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Parks, Madison 1 ; Hogan, Taylor 1 ; Snider, Brooke 2 ; Kuper, Makenna 1 ; Erpelding, Maggie 1 ; Hartz, Gretta 1 ; Moss, Sammy 2
SB: Parks, Madison 3 ; Erpelding, Maggie 1
HBP: Hogan, Taylor 1
Base Running:
SB: Bailey Treadway 1
CS: Brooklynn Brewington 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
3
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
OF/UT
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
P/IF
/ Softball
UT/OF
/ Softball
1B/3B/C
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
UT/P
/ Softball
3B/C/UT
/ Softball
UT/IF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
Photo by: Tyler Meyers
UNI softball picks up back-to-back wins at Panther Invitational
2/24/2023 3:37:00 PM | Softball
DECATUR, Ga. -- It was an almost perfect first day in the Peach State for the Panthers as they shut out two teams for their first two wins of the season.
After struggling to get the offense and the defense on the same page, UNI had everything go right Friday at the Panther Invitational hosted by Georgia State. The Panthers didn't allow a single run in two games against Western Carolina and Georgia State, putting up a 9-0 score in both games. Along with two shutouts, pitcher Samantha Heyer threw her first career no-hitter against the Georgia State Panthers to end UNI's first day at the weekend tournament.
Game 1 vs. Western Carolina | W, 9-0
The Panther offense got going early on Friday morning as outfielder Madison Parks picked up UNI's first hit in her first at-bat. Parks didn't get brought home in the first as the game turned into a pitcher's duel for the next three innings. Starting pitcher Kailyn Packard picked up seven strikeouts through four innings while allowing only one walk and no hits. Packard's expertise in the circle gave the Panther offense enough time to figure out the Catamounts starting pitcher in the top of the fifth.
A lead-off double to center for third baseman Brooke Snider set the tone for UNI's offense in the fifth. Snider quickly came home as designated player Hannah Kelley hit a long single up the middle, allowing time for Snider to come in on the throw to home plate. The Panthers had their second double in three batters from outfielder Sammy Moss, which scored pinch runner Makenna Kuper for UNI's second run of the inning. Which was followed up by a third double from shortstop Kylee Sanders to get Moss in as quickly as she was out on base.Â
Up by three in the top of the fifth, two more Panthers reached base on a single and a fielder's choice. UNI threatened with runners at the corners, but a strikeout and a ground out ended the productive inning on offense for the Panthers. The defense made it a quick bottom of the fifth with a flyout, a strikeout, and a foul out in four batters.Â
UNI grew its lead in the top of the sixth despite two outs to begin the inning. Kelley plated her second single of the morning to begin the latest round of hitting. Kelley's single was followed up by two more doubles as Moss and Sanders each collected their second of the game for two more runs scored. The Panthers went into the bottom of the sixth up 5-0 after a pop-up ended the half-inning.
Western Carolina broke up Packard's no-hitter bid in the bottom of the sixth on a single to third. The hit would go nowhere as Packard threw strikeout number nine and the runner was caught stealing at second to end the inning. UNI got right back to work in the top of the seventh as Parks waited for a leadoff walk. Two flyouts followed but another runner soon came to help as second baseman Taylor Hogan was hit by a pitch.
A single down the left field line from Snider brought Parks home with two runners on. A wild pitch moved Hogan and Snider to third and second for pinch hitter Ellie Owen. Owen also found the left field line for a single where both Hogan and Snider made it to home plate. The Panthers added one more run in the top of the seventh as Moss hit her third double of the morning to bring pinch-runner Gretta Hartz in.Â
UNI closed it out in the seventh with two strikeouts and a foul out while allowing a lone hit. in the 9-0 first win of the season, the Panthers connected on 13 hits, had six doubles, stole four bases, and committed no errors. Moss led the way on offense for UNI with her three doubles while Kelley, Snider, Parks, and Sanders had two hits apiece.Â
Starting pitcher Kailyn Packard had her first complete game of the season against the Catamounts. For her first win of the year, Packard threw seven innings and allowed two hits while throwing 11 strikeouts. On defense catcher, Alexis Pupillo had 10 putouts to lead the team while Standerski was the only other Panther with multiple putouts at two.
Game 2 at Georgia State | W, 9-0
UNI's offense didn't slow down after getting three hours of rest in between games. The Panthers scored in all but one inning against Georgia State as they run-ruled the host team in five. UNI got things started with a leadoff walk to put Sanders on base that quickly became having the bases loaded with another walk and a botched fielder's choice for Georgia State.Â
First baseman Daryn Lamprecht hit a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Sanders for the first run of the day. Pupillo had the Panthers first hit of the game to bring left fielder Faith Standerski in for run two. UNI's last run of the first came on a second sacrifice fly from Hogan to score Parks. The Panthers were back on offense as soon as possible as it was a three up three down inning for the home team.
Runners were in scoring position within three batters for UNI as Moss and Sanders found their way to third and second on a single and a missed throw. With two on, Standerski blasted her second home run of the season to left center, doubling the Panthers lead. Parks singled right after the home run but was caught stealing and a groundout for Lamprecht ended the half-inning.
UNI had its first test on defense in the second as Georgia State loaded the bases right away in the bottom of the second. After giving up two walks, starting pitcher Samantha Heyer threw three straight strikeouts to get the Panthers out of the bases-loaded jam. UNI added two more insurance runs in the bottom of the third on three hits and one sacrifice fly. Snider hit her second double of the day to score Pupillo while Moss picked up another RBI on a sac fly that brought Hogan home.
Both teams went three up and three down going into the bottom of the fourth. The Panthers would face another tough defensive situation in the fourth as the first two Georgia State batters made it to base on a walk and a hit-by-pitch. But Heyer worked her magic again, throwing three straight strikeouts for the second time to end the inning.Â
UNI added its final run in the top of the fifth. Hogan would be on second after hitting a single and then stealing second shortly after. Kelley singled to short to bring Hogan up to third. She was then able to score on a throwing error by Georgia State's shortstop as they were trying to get the out at third.Â
With nine runs going into the bottom of the fifth, the Panthers needed to keep Georgia State from scoring more than two runs to end the game early. For the third inning that game, Heyer pitched three straight strikeouts to pick up her first career no-hitter. Heyer's no-hitter was the first one for UNI since 2021 when Packard threw her first no-hitter against Southern Illinois in the final series of the regular season.
In their second game of the day, Pupillo and Hogan were the offensive leaders with two hits apiece. Five other Panthers collected a hit against Georgia State while Standerski led in RBIs with three. Along with throwing a no-hitter, Heyer picked up 11 strikeouts while walking only three batters.Â
UP NEXT:
UNI continues its time in Georgia on day two of the Panther Invitation. The Panthers will see Tennessee State for the first time since 2010 in their first game of the day at 11:30 a.m. CT and will have a rematch with Georgia State at 4:30 p.m.Â
After struggling to get the offense and the defense on the same page, UNI had everything go right Friday at the Panther Invitational hosted by Georgia State. The Panthers didn't allow a single run in two games against Western Carolina and Georgia State, putting up a 9-0 score in both games. Along with two shutouts, pitcher Samantha Heyer threw her first career no-hitter against the Georgia State Panthers to end UNI's first day at the weekend tournament.
Game 1 vs. Western Carolina | W, 9-0
The Panther offense got going early on Friday morning as outfielder Madison Parks picked up UNI's first hit in her first at-bat. Parks didn't get brought home in the first as the game turned into a pitcher's duel for the next three innings. Starting pitcher Kailyn Packard picked up seven strikeouts through four innings while allowing only one walk and no hits. Packard's expertise in the circle gave the Panther offense enough time to figure out the Catamounts starting pitcher in the top of the fifth.
A lead-off double to center for third baseman Brooke Snider set the tone for UNI's offense in the fifth. Snider quickly came home as designated player Hannah Kelley hit a long single up the middle, allowing time for Snider to come in on the throw to home plate. The Panthers had their second double in three batters from outfielder Sammy Moss, which scored pinch runner Makenna Kuper for UNI's second run of the inning. Which was followed up by a third double from shortstop Kylee Sanders to get Moss in as quickly as she was out on base.Â
Up by three in the top of the fifth, two more Panthers reached base on a single and a fielder's choice. UNI threatened with runners at the corners, but a strikeout and a ground out ended the productive inning on offense for the Panthers. The defense made it a quick bottom of the fifth with a flyout, a strikeout, and a foul out in four batters.Â
UNI grew its lead in the top of the sixth despite two outs to begin the inning. Kelley plated her second single of the morning to begin the latest round of hitting. Kelley's single was followed up by two more doubles as Moss and Sanders each collected their second of the game for two more runs scored. The Panthers went into the bottom of the sixth up 5-0 after a pop-up ended the half-inning.
Western Carolina broke up Packard's no-hitter bid in the bottom of the sixth on a single to third. The hit would go nowhere as Packard threw strikeout number nine and the runner was caught stealing at second to end the inning. UNI got right back to work in the top of the seventh as Parks waited for a leadoff walk. Two flyouts followed but another runner soon came to help as second baseman Taylor Hogan was hit by a pitch.
A single down the left field line from Snider brought Parks home with two runners on. A wild pitch moved Hogan and Snider to third and second for pinch hitter Ellie Owen. Owen also found the left field line for a single where both Hogan and Snider made it to home plate. The Panthers added one more run in the top of the seventh as Moss hit her third double of the morning to bring pinch-runner Gretta Hartz in.Â
UNI closed it out in the seventh with two strikeouts and a foul out while allowing a lone hit. in the 9-0 first win of the season, the Panthers connected on 13 hits, had six doubles, stole four bases, and committed no errors. Moss led the way on offense for UNI with her three doubles while Kelley, Snider, Parks, and Sanders had two hits apiece.Â
Starting pitcher Kailyn Packard had her first complete game of the season against the Catamounts. For her first win of the year, Packard threw seven innings and allowed two hits while throwing 11 strikeouts. On defense catcher, Alexis Pupillo had 10 putouts to lead the team while Standerski was the only other Panther with multiple putouts at two.
Game 2 at Georgia State | W, 9-0
UNI's offense didn't slow down after getting three hours of rest in between games. The Panthers scored in all but one inning against Georgia State as they run-ruled the host team in five. UNI got things started with a leadoff walk to put Sanders on base that quickly became having the bases loaded with another walk and a botched fielder's choice for Georgia State.Â
First baseman Daryn Lamprecht hit a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Sanders for the first run of the day. Pupillo had the Panthers first hit of the game to bring left fielder Faith Standerski in for run two. UNI's last run of the first came on a second sacrifice fly from Hogan to score Parks. The Panthers were back on offense as soon as possible as it was a three up three down inning for the home team.
Runners were in scoring position within three batters for UNI as Moss and Sanders found their way to third and second on a single and a missed throw. With two on, Standerski blasted her second home run of the season to left center, doubling the Panthers lead. Parks singled right after the home run but was caught stealing and a groundout for Lamprecht ended the half-inning.
UNI had its first test on defense in the second as Georgia State loaded the bases right away in the bottom of the second. After giving up two walks, starting pitcher Samantha Heyer threw three straight strikeouts to get the Panthers out of the bases-loaded jam. UNI added two more insurance runs in the bottom of the third on three hits and one sacrifice fly. Snider hit her second double of the day to score Pupillo while Moss picked up another RBI on a sac fly that brought Hogan home.
Both teams went three up and three down going into the bottom of the fourth. The Panthers would face another tough defensive situation in the fourth as the first two Georgia State batters made it to base on a walk and a hit-by-pitch. But Heyer worked her magic again, throwing three straight strikeouts for the second time to end the inning.Â
UNI added its final run in the top of the fifth. Hogan would be on second after hitting a single and then stealing second shortly after. Kelley singled to short to bring Hogan up to third. She was then able to score on a throwing error by Georgia State's shortstop as they were trying to get the out at third.Â
With nine runs going into the bottom of the fifth, the Panthers needed to keep Georgia State from scoring more than two runs to end the game early. For the third inning that game, Heyer pitched three straight strikeouts to pick up her first career no-hitter. Heyer's no-hitter was the first one for UNI since 2021 when Packard threw her first no-hitter against Southern Illinois in the final series of the regular season.
In their second game of the day, Pupillo and Hogan were the offensive leaders with two hits apiece. Five other Panthers collected a hit against Georgia State while Standerski led in RBIs with three. Along with throwing a no-hitter, Heyer picked up 11 strikeouts while walking only three batters.Â
UP NEXT:
UNI continues its time in Georgia on day two of the Panther Invitation. The Panthers will see Tennessee State for the first time since 2010 in their first game of the day at 11:30 a.m. CT and will have a rematch with Georgia State at 4:30 p.m.Â
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