University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Belmont
UNI softball opens MVC play with first-ever series at Belmont
3/14/2024 8:50:00 AM | Softball
UNI softball (11-9 / 0-0 MVC) at Belmont (14-7 / 0-0 MVC)
- 5 p.m CT | March 15
- E.S. Rose Park | Nashville, Tennessee
- ESPN+
- LIVE STATS
UNI softball at Belmont
- 2 p.m CT | March 16
- E.S. Rose Park | Nashville, Tennessee
- ESPN+
- LIVE STATS
UNI softball at Belmont
- 12 p.m CT | March 17
- E.S. Rose Park | Nashville, Tennessee
- ESPN+
- LIVE STATS
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- With a month of non-conference play in the rearview mirror, UNI softball turns its attention to Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) play this weekend with a three-game series at Belmont. The Panthers face the Bruins on Friday at 5 p.m., on Saturday at 2 p.m. and close the series at 12 p.m. on Sunday.
This weekend will mark a historic moment for the new conference foes, as the Panthers and Bruins will meet for their first-ever series. UNI and Belmont have met just one prior time, in 2018 at Belmont's Bruin Classic, and the Panthers and Bruins did not meet last season.
The Panthers do have three non-conference games remaining, but the back-to-back MVC regular season champions enter league play with an 11-9 record after being tested plenty. UNI faced five squads that made the 2023 NCAA Tournament in non-conference play, and also had multiple contests against then-No. 21 Arizona and South Alabama, the latter of which is receiving votes in this week's ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25.
UNI went 2-3 last weekend at Arkansas' Razorback Rumble, which marked the last non-conference weekend event the Panthers will play in this season. The team began the event with a 13-3 loss to Nebraska last Friday, then bounced back to beat South Alabama 7-2 immediately after the Nebraska loss. Last Saturday, the Panthers took down Saint Francis University 6-4 then lost 7-4 against No. 20 Arkansas. UNI closed out the event with a 9-0 loss against the Razorbacks.
The Panthers' win against the Red Flash marked the 1,400th win in Panther softball history.
Daryn Lamprecht led the Panthers at the plate last week, posting a team-high .500 batting average in 12 at-bats. She recorded three RBIs, a home run and 11 total bases in UNI's games last week. Lamprecht recorded two RBIs in UNI's 13-3 loss against Nebraska last Friday, which included her second home run of the 2024 campaign. She also picked up an RBI in UNI's 7-4 loss against No. 20 Arkansas last Saturday. Through 20 games, Lamprecht has two home runs and seven RBIs, and enters Missouri Valley Conference play with a .213 batting average.
Meanwhile, Madison Parks picked up two more walks last weekend and enters MVC play with 24 walks. Parks' 24 walks and 1.20 walks per game both rank second nationally. Alexis Pupillo clubbed her eighth home run of the 2024 season last weekend at the Razorback Rumble, and ranks No. 20 nationally in total home runs and No. 11 nationally with 0.40 home runs per game. Pupillo also leads the MVC in slugging percentage (0.768), RBIs per game (1.05), and RBIs (21).
The Panthers now turn their attention to Belmont, who posted a 29-24 record in 2023. The Bruins closed their first MVC season with a 12-14 record, and made the semifinals of the 2023 MVC Tournament. Ahead of 2024, Belmont was selected sixth in the MVC Preseason Poll.
The Bruins are 14-7 entering the weekend after a mid-week loss against Ohio State. Belmont pitcher Maya Johnson is the reigning MVC Pitcher of the Week after going 2-0 in appearances against Samford and UIC last week. She recorded 15 strikeouts and a 0.00 ERA in those appearances, including an 11-strikeout complete game last weekend against UIC. Johnson ranks No. 32 nationally with 8.8 strikeouts per seven innings.
As a team, Belmont leads the MVC with 32 doubles. Nicole Hughes ranks No. 44 nationally with eight doubles, and Emily Cockrill ranks No. 139 nationally with six. The Bruins also returned reigning MVC Defensive Player of the Year Abi Ledbetter, who has a .971 fielding percentage in 21 appearances for the Bruins this season.
Following the Panthers' weekend in Nashville, UNI returns to Robinson-Dresser Sports Complex for the first time in 2024 with a home series next weekend against Indiana State.
