UNI softball wins fifth game in a row at Panther Invitational

Sunday, February 26

Decatur, GA

9 AM

University of Northern Iowa

5-6

Western Carolina University

3-6

Western Carolina

Northern Iowa

Makenna Kuper at Panther Invitational 2023

UNI softball wins fifth game in a row at Panther Invitational

2/26/2023 11:18:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

DECATUR, Ga. -- The Panthers completed their perfect weekend at the tournament hosted by Georgia State with a 7-1 win over the Western Carolina Catamounts.

Two big innings on offense were all UNI needed to pick up its fifth win of the weekend in an early morning matchup with Western Carolina. Two-thirds of the Panther lineup recorded a hit while the UNI pitching staff combined for no earned runs, four hits, and 15 strikeouts. The Panthers are almost back to a .500 record following their final win of the weekend.

UNI found itself down early after the Catamounts picked up a leadoff single and scored on a fielding error the next play. Starting pitcher Kailyn Packard quickly got the Panthers out of the inning with three straight strikeouts. While UNI's offense couldn't find its footing in the first, that wouldn't be the case for long.

In the bottom of the second, left fielder Mya Dodge hit a leadoff single for the Panthers to begin an offensive blitz. Three more singles would quickly come after from designated player Hannah Kelley, second baseman Taylor Hogan, and catcher Alexis Pupillo. Hogan and Pupillo's singles scored two runs as Dodge and pinch runner Makenna Kuper crossed home plate. Hogan would score three plays later after a walk moved her to third and a wild pitch brought her home.

The third and fourth innings moved quickly as each team picked up a hit but stranded runners on base. The bottom of the fifth began with a walk for UNI as shortstop Kylee Sanders reached first. Outfielders Sammy Moss and Madison Parks would follow up the walk with a hit each, while Parks double to left center scored Sanders. The next at-bat Dodge hit a sacrifice fly to left for the Panthers fifth run.

With Parks at second, Kelley stepped up to the plate and smashed a home run past the center field fence on the fourth pitch she faced. The two-run homer would be UNI's last scoring play of the morning as they wouldn't play the bottom of the seventh thanks to relief pitcher Samantha Heyer. In the top of the sixth and seventh, Heyer allowed two hits while putting together four strikeouts to pick up the save.

Pupillo and Kelley were the only two players with multiple hits on the day as they picked up two apiece. Kelley was also the only Panther with multiple RBIs as she picked up two on her home run. Packard picked up the win for the morning while Heyer was credited with a save after coming in during the fifth with UNI only up by two.

UP NEXT:
The Panthers continue their Georgia road trip with a midweek stop at Mercer. Tuesday's game from Sikes Field against the Bears is set for a 5 p.m. first pitch.