UNI softball continues non-conference road trip with six games in Alabama

UNI softball (8-3 / 0-0 MVC) at UAB (6-9 / 0-0 AAC)

2:30 p.m. CT | Feb. 28, 2023
Mary Bowers Field | Birmingham, Alabama
LIVE STATS
ESPN+

UNI softball (8-3 / 0-0 MVC) at T-Mobile Crimson Classic

Rhoads Stadium | Tuscaloosa, Alabama
#11 Alabama (16-0 / 0-0 SEC) | Feb. 29 | 6 p.m. CT
- SEC Network+
#21 Arizona (16-1 / 0-0 Pac-12) | March 1 | 11 a.m. CT
South Alabama (10-4 / 0-0 Sun Belt) | March 1 | 1:30 p.m. CT
South Alabama | March 2 | 10:30 a.m. CT
#21 Arizona | March 2 | 6 p.m. CT
LIVE STATS

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- UNI softball continues its lengthy non-conference road trip this week, as the Panthers remain in the state of Alabama for six contests. The Panthers visit UAB on Wednesday afternoon before traveling about an hour-and-a-half south to participate in the T-Mobile Crimson Classic, hosted by Alabama.

UNI will face No. 11 Alabama on Thursday evening, then the Panthers face No. 21 Arizona and South Alabama on both Friday and Saturday. Wednesday's game against UAB will be broadcast on ESPN+ and the Panthers' game against the Crimson Tide on Thursday will be streamed on SEC Network+.

Live stats will be available for the remainder of the UNI's games this week.

The Panthers enter the week with plenty of positive momentum after going 5-1 last week. UNI improved its record to 8-3 after beating Memphis 7-0 last Wednesday, then rattling off four consecutive wins at the Auburn Plainsman Invite. The Panthers downed Longwood and Southeast Missouri State (SEMO) to start the event, then upset No. 24 Auburn 4-2 last Saturday. UNI beat SEMO again on Sunday morning before dropping a 1-0 contest against Auburn to round out the weekend.

Alexis Pupillo led the Panthers offensively, highlighted by an eight-RBI performance against Longwood and recording both hits in UNI's upset victory over Auburn. Pupillo totaled 10 RBIs and four home runs last weekend, and as of Monday ranks No. 12 nationally and first in the Missouri Valley Conference with six home runs.

Panther pitching remained stellar, though the unit finally conceded its first earned run of the 2024 season against Longwood. Samantha Heyer led off action last week with a 14-strikeout no-hitter against Memphis last Wednesday, and Anna Wischnowski pitched her first collegiate complete game in the Panthers' victory over Auburn last Saturday. Heyer and Maddy McDermott combined to two-hit Auburn in the Panthers' second matchup with the Tigers on Sunday, but the Tigers were able to translate those hits into the lone run of the game.

Heyer, Pupillo, Wischnowski and Kylee Sanders made the Auburn Plainsman Invite All-Tournament Team.

The competition remains stiff for the Panthers as they continue their road swing on Wednesday at UAB. The Blazers went 29-25 in 2023 and were picked sixth in the 2024 American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. UAB is 6-9 so far this season but have been tested plenty, playing two games each against Alabama and Mississippi State already this season.

Following the game against UAB, the Panthers open the 2024 T-Mobile Crimson Classic against perhaps the most daunting challenge they'll face all season. UNI opens the event against No. 11 Alabama on Thursday night. The Crimson Tide enters a midweek tilt against Jacksonville State with a 16-0 record, following up a 2023 season in which Alabama made it to the Women's College World Series.

The Crimson Tide are led by a dominant pitching staff that, as of Feb. 26, ranks second nationally with a 0.61 ERA. Alabama has three pitchers — Kayla Beaver, Jaala Torrence and Alea Johnson — ranked No. 20 or better nationally in earned run average. Offensively, Alabama is paced by Abby Duchscherer (20 RBIs) and reigning SEC Co-Player of the Week Jenna Johnson, who recorded eight hits and six RBIs last week.

UNI is 0-4 all-time against Alabama, with the last meeting between the sides coming in 2021. The Panthers and Crimson Tide also share a unique bond through Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy, who is a Fayette, Iowa native. Before he became one of the most decorated coaches in collegiate softball history, Murphy graduated from UNI with a bachelor's degree in history education. While in Cedar Falls, Murphy picked up his first coaching job as a little league baseball head coach.

UNI rounds out the week with two games each against No. 21 Arizona and South Alabama on Friday and Saturday. Like the Crimson Tide, the Wildcats enter the weekend nationally ranked and sport a 16-1 record. Arizona's lone loss of the season came on Feb. 17, a one-run decision against No. 16 Arkansas.

The Wildcats were selected sixth in the 2024 Pac-12 Coaches Preseason Poll after posting a 29-25 record in 2023, but did lead all Pac-12 squads with five honorees on the 2024 Preseason All-Pac-12 Team. Arizona ranks eighth nationally in scoring, averaging 7.94 runs per contest, and fourth nationally with a .387 team batting average. Regan Shockey ranks second nationally with 29 hits through 17 contests, and Carlie Scupin's seven home runs rank sixth nationally.

UNI's final opponent of the weekend is South Alabama, who has a 10-4 record with an upset victory over then-No. 17 South Carolina on its resume. The Jaguars went 39-14 in 2023, including a school-record 20 wins in Sun Belt play, and were picked second in the 2024 Sun Belt Preseason Coaches' Poll. Olivia Lackie leads the way in the circle, as the reigning Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year ranks No. 40 nationally with a 0.80 ERA and third nationally with seven wins. The Jaguars average 5.29 runs per game, which ranks No. 78 nationally.

The Panthers face Arizona at 11 a.m. and South Alabama at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, then face the Jaguars again at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday and close the event at 6 p.m. on Saturday against Arizona.

Calendar

Upcoming Events