UNI softball ties consecutive win-streak in second 8-0 win against Evansville

Saturday, May 6

Cedar Falls, Iowa

2 PM

University of Northern Iowa

37-11, 25-1

University of Evansville

22-30, 8-18

Evansville

Northern Iowa

UNI softball ties consecutive win-streak in second 8-0 win against Evansville

5/6/2023 4:41:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The Panthers ended their second game in a row in the bottom of the fifth inning thanks to the NCAA run rule on Saturday afternoon.

UNI put up its second 8-0 score in as many days, taking game two over the Evansville Purple Aces. Sophomore pitcher Anna Wischnowski picked up her third win of the year in four starts after pitching almost the entire game for the Panthers. UNI is one step closer to breaking another program record as Saturday's victory against Evansville was the 16th in a row for the 2023 Panthers. A win on Sunday would break the current program record of 16 consecutive wins set by the 2022 Panther team.

In her first start at Robinson-Dresser, Wischnowski opened with a bang by throwing a looking strikeout to the Ace's leadoff hitter. UNI completed the perfect inning with two outs in the field, getting its first chance at bat. It didn't take the Panther offense long to get going as shortstop Kylee Sanders picked up a leadoff walk. Sanders soon found herself at third on a groundout play and a wild pitch. Center fielder Madison Parks had UNI's first RBI of the day, putting a sacrifice fly into center field, scoring Sanders.

The first run of the game was followed up immediately by another as left fielder Mya Dodge hit her 16th home run of the season to make it a two-nothing game in the first inning. Evansville added a hit in the second but nothing else as the Panther offense continued to roll. In the bottom of the second, UNI scored five runs on three hits and an error to put the game away early.

This began with a leadoff single for right fielder Sammy Moss, the only Panther who had more than one hit on the afternoon. UNI loaded up the bases in the bottom of the second as first baseman Daryn Lamprecht was hit by a pitch and Sanders hit a single into short center field. With the bases loaded, Parks put a double off the wall into center field, scoring Moss and pinch runner Makenna Kuper.

Sanders scored on the Panthers' next play as Dodge ground out to second base, giving Sanders time to cross home and putting Parks at third. UNI had runners at the corners right after as designated player Addison McElrath walked, setting up for more scoring. Parks scored on the next play as the Aces' second baseman fumbled a catch putting runners back at the corners. The Panthers earned their final run of the inning on a wild pitch as McElrath made her way home.

With a seven-nothing lead after two innings, UNI cruised through the rest of the game. Wischnowski stayed in the circle until the final out in the top of the fifth, throwing 4.2 innings while allowing only three hits, one walk, and throwing a career-high six strikeouts. The Panthers added a hit in the bottom of the fourth but didn't end the game until the bottom of the fifth.

UNI had back-to-back singles from third baseman Brooke Snider and Moss to have runners at the corners. Pinch runner Maggie Erpelding scored the winning run from third on a sacrifice fly. Lamprecht hit the fly ball deep into center field, giving Erpelding plenty of time to cross home plate and end the game by run rule.

All but two spots in the Panther lineup connected on hits in Saturday afternoon's shutout. Parks and Dodge both had multiple RBI games with three and two respectively. Sanders was the only UNI runner to score more than once in five innings.

UP NEXT:
The Panthers will celebrate their three seniors in their final home game of the regular season. The Senior Day ceremony for Brooke Snider, Kailyn Packard, and Hannah Kelley will take place after the final game of the series at Robinson-Dresser Sports Complex. First pitch for Sunday's game is set for noon.