University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
3-2
Western Illinois
1-4
Panthers close out Doc Halverson Classic with loss to Western Illinois
2/11/2024 8:04:00 PM | Softball
UNI softball finishes the weekend with a record of 3-2 after a 7-3 loss to Western Illinois.
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — UNI softball closed the 2024 Doc Halverson Classic with a matchup against the Western Illinois Leathernecks on Sunday night.
Western Illinois struck first in the top of the first inning. After loading the bases, a base hit brought the lead runner across the plate. The Leathernecks eyed another run on the play, but the second runner was thrown out on a long ball from center fielder Madison Parks to catcher Savanna Jemilo. With two outs on the board, Western Illinois recorded another pair of runs before the third out was posted to take an early, 3-0 lead after the top of the first inning.
UNI saw its first runner in scoring position after Parks made it on base after a walk. She stole second and got around to third base after a base hit from Addison McElrath. Kate Lappe loaded the bases after she drew a walk which moved Sammy Moss into scoring position after Moss replaced McElrath on the base path. The Panthers scored their first run in the bottom of the first inning on a bases-loaded walk drawn by Taylor Hogan that saw Parks cross the plate. Another bases-loaded walk drawn by Jemilo saw Moss cross the plate for the second Panther run on the next at-bat.
The top of the second inning saw the fourth Western Illinois run on a single. A bases-loaded walk notched the fifth run of the afternoon for the Leathernecks and a bases-loaded single scored the sixth runner for Western Illinois, the last of the runs in the top of the second inning.
The Panthers came up scoreless in the bottom of the second inning. Samantha Heyer replaced Anna Wischnowski in the circle to open the third inning. Heyer struck out two of the three batters she faced in the top of the third inning before the third grounded out. A no-out double from Taylor Hogan advanced Lappe after a walk to put both in scoring position in the bottom of the third inning. Neither base runner had crossed the plate when the final out of the third inning had been recorded.
Western Illinois scored its seventh run in the top of the fourth inning on a bases-loaded ground out that scored the runner at third base.
Alexis Pupillo crossed the plate in the bottom of the fourth inning, after stealing second, for the Panthers' third run on a single by Parks. The run was the only score of the bottom of the fourth inning. Western Illinois held a 7-3 advantage heading into the fifth inning.
The fifth and sixth innings came and went with no damage on either side of the field. The Western Illinois half of the seventh inning saw no runs and just four batters as Kara Maiers made an appearance in relief of Heyer. The Panthers got two runners on the base path but were unable to capitalize and were defeated by a score of 7-3.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- UNI still leads the series with the Leathernecks with a record of 31-22 after the 7-3 loss.
- Junior Savanna Jemilo made her first collegiate start behind the plate against Western Illinois. Jemilo recorded her first collegiate at-bat on Friday and her first collegiate hit on Saturday.
- Sammy Moss recorded her first start of the season against the Leathernecks.
UP NEXT
The Panthers head to Tennessee to take on Memphis on February 21. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Morrison, R. (1-0)
L: Wischnowski, Anna (2-1)
Batting:
2B: Robertson, M 1
RBI: Pavy, B. 1 ; Alvarez, B. 2 ; Luna, M. 1 ; Robertson, M 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Sanchez, S. 2 ; Boone, R. 1 ; Rea, G. 1 ; Pavy, B. 1 ; Alvarez, B. 1 ; Combs, V. 1
SB: Robertson, M 1
HBP: Combs, V. 1
Batting:
2B: McElrath, Addison 1 ; Hogan, Taylor 1
RBI: Parks, Madison 1 ; Hogan, Taylor 1 ; Jemilo, Savanna 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Pupillo, Alexis 1 ; Parks, Madison 1 ; Moss, Sammy 1
SB: Pupillo, Alexis 2 ; Parks, Madison 1
CS: Parks, Madison 1
