UNI softball: Heyer throws first perfect game in 8-0 win over Evansville

Friday, May 5

Cedar Falls, Iowa

3 PM

University of Northern Iowa

37-11, 0

University of Evansville

22-29, 0

Evansville

Northern Iowa

UNI softball: Heyer throws first perfect game in 8-0 win over Evansville

5/5/2023 5:10:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The Panthers had their first perfect game in the circle since 2014 in an 8-0 route of the Evansville Purple Aces.

Righty Samantha Heyer continues her record-breaking season for UNI with her first collegiate perfect game in the circle. In five innings of work on Friday afternoon, Heyer faced 15 batters while throwing 10 strikeouts. The Panther offense helped Heyer to her perfect game with 10 hits in five innings for the final 8-0 score.

It was a quick first inning as Heyer picked up her first two strikeouts of the day, and UNI only had a single hit. But once the Panther offense hit the bottom of the second inning, there was no stopping them as they scored at least one run and connected on one hit for the next four innings.

UNI scored their first of the day in the bottom of the second as pinch runner Makenna Kuper made it home on an error that put third baseman Brooke Snider on second base. Kuper ended up at third after designated player Addison McElrath hit the Panthers' first double of the game and took a base on a groundout from second baseman Taylor Hogan.

UNI's offense was quickly back up to bat as Heyer struck out the side in the top of the third with three straight K's. A leadoff single for first baseman Daryn Lamprecht led to two more runners as shortstop Kylee Sanders put a double into left field, and catcher Alexis Pupillo took first after being hit by a pitch.

With the bases loaded, a passed ball from Evansville's catcher brought home pinch runner Maggie Erpelding. The passed ball run led to a sacrifice fly from outfielder Madison Parks that scored Sanders and would be the last of the inning. McElrath went to first on a walk, but a groundout to the pitcher gave the Panthers a 3-1 lead after three innings.

After another 1-2-3 inning for Heyer and the defense, UNI's offense exploded in the bottom of the fourth. The Panthers scored four runs on five hits and an error to make it a 7-0 game and get within run-rule territory. Snider hit a lead-off double to get things started and soon found herself at home as Lamprecht hit her fourth double of the season to left field.

UNI's next three batters all reached base as Sanders had a single through the gap in right, Pupillo reached first on an error, and Parks singled up the middle. With the bases loaded, left fielder Mya Dodge had a sacrifice fly in right field, scoring Sanders and putting Pupillo at third. Pupillo scored on the next at-bat as McElrath connected on a hard-hit single to third.

The Panther defense made quick work of the top of the fifth with three straight groundouts. Despite a pop-up to start the bottom of the inning, UNI put three on base with a hit by pitch, a walk, and a blown fielder's choice. Loading the bases for the second time that day, Pupillo reached first on a fielder's choice while right fielder Sammy Moss was out at home. But Parks called game, dropping a single down the left field line to score Lamprecht for the eighth run of the day, triggering an NCAA run-rule win.

Parks was one of four Panther batters that had two hits, along with Sanders, McElrath, and Lamprecht. Two other UNI hitters added one each for all 10 hits. Parks was the only Panther with multiple RBIs, bringing in two on her end-of-game single and her sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third. In the field, Pupillo had the most putouts with 10 from Heyer's 10 strikeouts.

UP NEXT:
UNI continues its three-game series against the Evansville Aces with a midday matchup tomorrow. First pitch from Robinson-Dresser Sports Complex is set for 2 p.m.