UNI softball ends Tulsa Invitational with shutout win over Sam Houston State

Sunday, March 12

Tulsa, Ok.

10 AM

University of Northern Iowa

11-9

Sam Houston

9-16

Northern Iowa

Sam Houston

UNI softball ends Tulsa Invitational with shutout win over Sam Houston State

3/12/2023 1:28:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

TULSA, Okla. -- The Panthers won their final game of the Tulsa Invitational with a late-game offensive push against the Sam Houston State Kats.

UNI kept the Kats to three hits in the team's second matchup of the tournament on Sunday morning for the team's 11th win of the year. The Panthers also kept Sam Houston State scoreless through seven full innings as the Kats stranded five runners.

Despite two outs to start the game, UNI put up offense early with a single from center fielder Madison Parks. A strikeout followed Parks single to end the first but the Panthers added another hit in the top of the second. Designated player Hannah Kelley hit a lead-off single to short taking first base. Pinch runner Maggie Erpelding then got to second, but three outs following Erpelding's steal ended the half-inning.

Sam Houston picked up its first hit in the bottom of the second with a lead-off single of their own. UNI put together three straight outs after the hit to not allow anything more than a stolen base. The Panthers also had a hit in the third as shortstop Kylee Sanders doubled to left center with one out. A strikeout and a flyout after Sanders double would leave her stranded at second to go to the bottom of the third.

Starting pitcher Kailyn Packard threw her fourth strikeout of the game but had a batter take first on a hit-by-pitch. The batter was quickly out at second as she was caught stealing by Sanders. The Kats grabbed another hit after the caught stealing as their right fielder singled through the left side. She also tried to steal second, giving UNI its third out to end the inning.

Left fielder Mya Dodge grabbed a lead-off single in the fourth. But a flyout and a double play for Sam Houston made it a quick inning on offense for the Panthers. Sam Houston picked up its final single of the day on their second at-bat in the fourth. UNI responded with a fielder's choice and a pick-off at first base to strand the Kats' lone runner on base.

The Panthers broke their scoring open in the top of the fifth as first baseman Daryn Lamprecht hit a two-run bomb out to right field. The homer scored both Lamprech and right fielder Faith Standerski who had reached base on a fielding error in the at-bat before. UNI picked up another hit in the fifth but didn't bring the third run home until the top of the sixth.

Despite not having a hit in the inning, Sam Houston threatened in the bottom of the fifth with runners on first and second from a hit-by-pitch and a fielding error. With two runners on, Samantha Heyer stepped into the circle and immediately threw a strikeout for the Panthers. Two ground outs followed ending the Kat's scoring chance.

After the close call in the fifth, UNI added an insurance run in the sixth. Dodge started the inning off with a single up the middle that was followed by Kelley taking first on another fielding error. Third baseman Brooke Snider made contact in her at bat for a fielder's choice putting runners at the corners. Dodge was then able to score in the next at-bat, getting home on a wild pitch for the Panthers' third run.

UNI ended the inning by getting Sam Houston State to go three up and three down with a line out, a strikeout, and a fly out. The Panther offense continued their success from the sixth into the seventh with three singles and two doubles to score three more runs. Sanders scored her first run of the day on a double from catcher Alexis Pupillo. UNI went up two runs three batters later on another double from Snider. Second baseman Taylor Hogan added another hit but a ground out from Standerski kept the Panthers from adding more runs.

Two outs to begin the final frame of the game brought in pitcher Kaylyn Jones to close. In her second appearance of the year, Jones threw three pitches drawing a fly out to end the game. UNI picked up its fourth shutout win and the 11th of the season.

Sanders led all Panther hitters with three on the day while Dodge was right behind her with two. Seven other players picked up a hit, setting a season-high for most players to record a hit in a game at nine. Snider and Lamprecht each had two RBIs to lead UNI while on defense Pupillo picked up the most putouts with nine.

Starting pitcher Kailyn Packard picked up the win for the Panthers, pitching four innings to face 17 batters allowing no runs, three hits, and one walk while throwing five strikeouts. Heyer took over to pitch for 2.2 innings where she allowed no hits or walks but threw three strikeouts. Jones threw to the final batter of the game drawing one fly out.

UP NEXT
UNI begins Missouri Valley Conference play against a new Valley team. The Panthers head to Murray, Ky. for a three-game weekend series with the Murray State Racers. Friday's game will be the fourth time the two teams have met and the first since 2020. First pitch for the game on March 17 is set for 5 p.m.