UNI softball falls 1-0 against No. 11 Alabama

Thursday, February 29

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

6 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

8-4

Alabama

17-0

UNI

Alabama

UNI softball falls 1-0 against No. 11 Alabama

2/29/2024 8:39:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Panthers return to action on Friday against No. 21 Arizona, South Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama --- UNI softball dropped a tight road contest against an SEC opponent for the second consecutive game on Thursday evening, falling 1-0 against No. 11 Alabama on the opening night of the T-Mobile Crimson Classic. The Panthers recorded four hits on the night, the same number as Alabama, but were unable to push any runs across as the undefeated Crimson Tide handed the Panthers their second consecutive defeat.

A majority of Thursday night's action took place in the first inning. The Panthers got off to a quick start against Alabama starting pitcher Kayla Beaver, as Alexis Pupillo knocked a one-out single to right field and Madison Parks reached base with a well-placed bunt. Pupillo, who had reached second during Parks' at-bat, reached third base after Parks' bunt.

That set the table for Addison McElrath, who put the ball in play with a sharp ground ball to first base. Pupillo darted for home, but Crimson Tide first baseman Emma Broadfoot fired a strike home that beat Pupillo to the plate.

Kate Lappe struck out to end the top of the inning.

Alabama immediately got to work in the bottom of the inning against Samantha Heyer. Heyer walked the first Crimson Tide batter of the contest, then forced an out before Abby Duchscherer singled up the middle. Another Heyer walk loaded the bases, and Bailey Dowling drove home what would be the only run of the contest with an RBI groundout.

UNI threatened again in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs, Pupillo was hit by a Beaver pitch then Parks promptly singled to left field. That brought McElrath to the plate, but Beaver struck her out to end the inning.

Meanwhile, Heyer efficiently worked through a Crimson Tide squad that entered Thursday night's contest averaging 6.75 runs per game. She worked around a single and a hit batter in the second inning, then worked efficient frames in the third, fourth and fifth.

The Panthers' final quality scoring opportunity came in the top of the sixth. Parks led off the inning with a walk, reaching base for the third time in the contest. Beaver then struck out the next Panther batter to bring up Lappe.

However, an unfortunate circumstance led the half-inning to end on consecutive pitches during Lappe's at-bat. With Lappe facing a full count, Parks was deemed to have left first base early while darting for second on a Lappe foul ball. On the ensuing pitch from Beaver, Lappe struck out to end the inning.

Pupillo caught a runner stealing at second base to end the bottom of the sixth, but the Panthers were unable to generate a run in the top of the seventh to end the contest.

The loss dropped UNI to 8-4 on the season.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

Pupillo has now caught a runner stealing for the second consecutive contest after throwing a runner out on the base paths last Sunday against Auburn.
Heyer recorded a complete game against Alabama on Thursday night, her fourth of the season.
After moving into second place on UNI softball's career strikeout list last Sunday against Auburn, Heyer recorded six strikeouts against Alabama. She now has 547 strikeouts in her collegiate career.
Pupillo and Parks were the lone Panthers to reach base multiple times on Thursday night. Parks reached base a team-high three times.
Thursday night marked Parks' second multi-hit game in 2024.
UNI is now 0-7 all-time against Alabama.

UP NEXT

The Panthers continue the T-Mobile Crimson Classic with two games tomorrow. UNI faces No. 21 Arizona at 11 a.m. then takes on South Alabama at 1:30 p.m. Both games will not be broadcast, but live stats will be available.