UNI softball bounces back with 8-3 win over Indiana State

Sunday, April 9

Terre Haute, IN

11 AM

University of Northern Iowa

22-11, 0

Indiana State University

19-19, 0

Northern Iowa

Indiana State

Photo by: Indiana State Athletics

UNI softball bounces back with 8-3 win over Indiana State

4/9/2023 2:28:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – After a quiet day on Saturday, the Panther bats came back alive in their Sunday morning finale against the Indiana State Sycamores.

Freshman catcher Alexis Pupillo had a perfect day at the plate, going four-for-four with two home runs in UNI's 8-3 win over Indiana State. To pick up the series win, the Panthers connected on 13 hits with two doubles and two home runs through seven innings at Price Field. Almost at the halfway mark of the Missouri Valley Conference season, UNI continues to hold the top spot with an 11-1 conference record.

The Panther offense connected early on Sunday with a solo home run from Pupillo in her first at-bat of the day. Pupillo found the other side of the wall in right field to give UNI the initial lead. The Panthers picked up another hit in the first but only scored on the home run. UNI didn't get out of the inning with the lead as the Sycamores scored on an error with two runners on base.

With the game tied, each team had a single in the second but couldn't find anything else. The Panthers broke the stalemate in the top of the third after three straight hits to begin the inning. Shortstop Kylee Sanders and Pupillo scored on a Madison Parks double to make it a 3-1 game. UNI added to its lead in a major way in the fourth, scoring four runs on three hits.

After two early outs, back-to-back singles from first baseman Daryn Lamprecht and Sanders brought in two runs. The runs scored on a fielding error in center field to give third baseman Brooke Snider and Lamprecht runs four and five. The Panthers weren't done there as with Sanders at first Pupillo hit her second home run of the game. Pupillo found almost the exact same spot as in the first inning, giving UNI a commanding 7-1 lead.

The Panthers continued to take down Indiana State on defense, not allowing a hit in the fourth. UNI's offense had a quiet fifth while the Sycamores took advantage of three straight singles to add a second run. But the Panthers responded right back in the top of the sixth with their eighth run of the game.

Lamprecht had a leadoff single to put a pinch runner on first. Pupillo's fourth hit of the day, a single to right put runners at the corners, setting up UNI for its final run of the series. Parks followed up the single with a long sacrifice fly to center, scoring pinch runner Maggie Erpelding. With the insurance run in the top of the sixth, the Panthers shut down Indiana State in the bottom half of the inning.

Similar to Friday's game, the Sycamores tried to mount a comeback in the bottom of the seventh after UNI couldn't bring home two runners on base. Indiana State put two runners on base early in the half inning. One runner was then brought home on a long single up the middle with two outs. But the Panthers didn't let another run come in, as starting pitcher Samantha Heyer ended the game with her 11th strikeout of the day giving UNI another 8-3 win.

Pupillo led all hitters with four on the day including her two home runs. With nine home runs on the year, Pupillo is second in the MVC and moves into the Top 60 players nationally for long balls. Four other Panthers had multiple hits on the day with Sanders, Parks, Hogan, and Lamprecht all connecting on two. Snider also added a hit to bring UNI's total up to 13. Parks and Pupillo tied for most RBIs on Sunday afternoon, bringing in three runs each.

Heyer pitched her eighth complete game of the season to bring her record up to 13-4. Through seven innings, Heyer gave up eight hits and two earned runs. But Heyer threw 11 strikeouts with only one walk to keep her strikeout-to-walk ratio well above the national average.

UP NEXT:
The Panthers return home to Robinson-Dresser Sports Complex for a four-game homestand next week. UNI will first welcome in-state rivals Drake to Cedar Falls on Tuesday evening before playing a three-game weekend series against Southern Illinois. First pitch for Tuesday night's contest is set for 5 p.m. at Robinson-Dresser.