UNI softball set for final non-conference game at Iowa

UNI softball at Iowa

5 p.m. | May 3
Iowa City, Iowa | Bob Pearl Softball Field (1,500)
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IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The Panthers get one more crack at a non-Missouri Valley Conference opponent in their final midweek matchup of the season.

UNI will play the last of the in-state Division I schools on Wednesday in its evening game against the Iowa Hawkeyes. A win against Iowa would give the Panthers wins at half the state's DI softball fields as they did not play Iowa State in Ames this season. After losing last year's game to the Hawkeyes 3-2 at home, UNI hopes for revenge on the road this season.

THE PANTHERS:
- UNI officially claimed the 2023 Missouri Valley Conference Regular Season Championship over the weekend with three wins against Valparaiso and a key loss elsewhere in the league. The Panthers earned a share of the title in their 9-0 win Saturday against the Beacons. UNI officially had the full title the next day as Missouri State had its fifth MVC loss of the season to Indiana State, securing the title for the Panthers.
- The Panthers have their final non-conference game of the season this week against the in-state Iowa Hawkeyes. The Hawkeyes have had a bounce-back season after struggling in 2022. Iowa sits at sixth in the Big Ten with an even conference record of 10-10.
- UNI continues to have a record-breaking season, setting five new program records over the past week. The 2023 Panthers have set new records in runs scored (313), doubles (84), home runs (68), batters struck out (387), and conference wins (23), all against Valparaiso on Friday and Saturday.
- The Panthers have also broken some Missouri Valley Conference records this past week. In MVC play, UNI has set new records for runs scored (207), and team doubles (51). The Panthers are only one home run away from setting a new Valley team home run record in conference play.

THE HAWKEYES:
- Iowa comes into the final week of the regular season with a 30-22 record and an even conference record. After finishing last season at 21-31, the Hawkeyes have had an almost 10-game turnaround from 2022 and an even larger change in conference. After winning only three Big Ten games last season, Iowa has an even 10-10 record for a plus-seven turnaround with three more conference games left.
- The Hawkeyes are coming off a big series win against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at home this past weekend. Iowa took two of three games against the Scarlet Knights and finished with a 9-6 rubber match on Sunday afternoon.
- Iowa is currently having its best season since 2013. The Hawkeyes haven't reached 30 wins since the 2013 season when they went 30-24 but only 8-15 in conference play. This is Iowa's best Big Ten season since 2012, when they ended the season with a 16-8 conference record, excluding the 2021 COVID-affected season.
- The Hawkeyes are led on offense by senior outfielder Nia Carter who has a .481 batting average and a 1.066 OPS. She is beyond and away Iowa's best player this season, having a batting average of .168 higher than any other Hawkeye on the roster. In the circle, Iowa relies on two pitchers, fifth-year pitcher Breanna Vasquez and freshman Jalen Adams. In her final season with the Hawkeyes, Vasquez has pitched 138 innings for a 2.37 ERA.

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