UNI softball outlasts Belmont 3-1 in marathon MVC opener

Friday, March 15

Nashville, Tenn.

5 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

12-9, 1-0

Belmont

14-8, 0-1

Northern Iowa

Belmont

Samantha Heyer Perfect Game vs Evansville 2023

UNI softball outlasts Belmont 3-1 in marathon MVC opener

3/15/2024 9:51:00 PM | Softball

Box Score FINAL RESULTS

Heyer’s complete game, three-run 10th inning leads Panthers to victory

NASHVILLE, Tennessee --- The first meeting between UNI and Belmont as Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) foes on Friday evening did not disappoint, as the Panthers outlasted the Bruins 3-1 in a contest that ended in the 10th inning. Samantha Heyer pitched a career-high 10 innings in the Panthers' victory, while a three-run inning in the top of the 10th also propelled UNI to victory.

The game marked the first extra inning contest of the year for the Panthers, and the longest game UNI softball has played since 2018.

Friday's game was largely a pitcher's duel between Heyer and Belmont's Maya Johnson, who won MVC Pitcher of the Week on March 12. The Panthers had baserunners in each of the first two innings, but Johnson worked around those baserunners to keep the Panthers' offense at bay.

Heyer did the same to Belmont. The Bruins recorded their first hit of the contest in the bottom of the fourth, while Kate Lappe recorded UNI's first hit of the game in the top of the fifth. That inning culminated with Lappe at second base and two outs, but Johnson struck out Faith Standerski to end the inning.

Madison Parks made a spectacular diving catch in the bottom of the fifth that helped keep the game scoreless. Parks had an opportunity to drive in the go-ahead run in the top of the sixth, as Alexis Pupillo reached second base on a dropped pop fly with two outs, but Johnson again escaped trouble with a strikeout. Heyer worked a three-up, three-down inning in the bottom of the sixth to bring the game to the decisive seventh inning.

Johnson worked around a two-out walk in the top of the seventh, and the Bruins gained serious momentum in the bottom of the inning after Emily Cockrill was hit by a pitch with one out. Cockrill promptly stole second, but Heyer retired the next two Bruin batters to send the contest to extra innings.

The Panthers left two runners on base in the top of the eighth against new Bruin pitcher Ellie Giles, who entered the contest for Johnson. The Panthers had runners at first and third with one out in the inning, but Giles retired Pupillo and Parks to end the inning.

Both teams had a serious chance to end the contest in the ninth inning. UNI again got to Giles in the top of the frame, as Addison McElrath led off the inning with a walk and Lappe fired a single up the middle. Taylor Hogan reached on a fielder's choice to put runners at first and third with one out, then Paige Peterson capped a lengthy at-bat with a walk to load the bases.

Sammy Moss, the Panthers' next batter, made solid contact with an offering from Giles but lined out to shortstop. With two outs in the inning, Daryn Lamprecht grounded out to second base.

Then, Belmont quickly loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth. Nicole Hughes led off the inning with a walk, then a one-out double from Brenna Blume put runners at second and third. Heyer retired Cockrill, but Abi Ledbetter walked to load the bases with two outs. On her 141st pitch of the evening, Heyer fired a ball past Lauren Luciani for a crucial strikeout that brought the contest to the 10th inning.

Giles retired the first Panther batter of the inning, but UNI quickly generated baserunners. Pupillo and Parks walked, then pinch hitter Savanna Jemilo marked the third consecutive Panther to reach base via walk. Lappe extended that number to four following a lengthy at-bat, which marked the opening run of the contest.

Parks scored during Hogan's ensuing at-bat on a passed ball to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead. Parks' dash home ultimately stood as the game-winning run. That passed ball marked the last action for Giles, and Hogan welcomed Rayna Cruickshanks to the contest with a sacrifice bunt that scored Jemilo.

Leading 3-0 in the bottom of the 10th, Belmont loaded the bases with no outs after two singles and a walk. Hughes then singled, but Parks made a critical defensive play in center field that limited the damage. The single only scored one run after Parks' inch-perfect throw cut down Emma Barnes at home plate.

Heyer retired the next two Belmont batters, capping the contest with a strikeout on her 165th pitch of the night, to give the Panthers a 3-1 victory in their first MVC contest of the year.

UNI now sits at 12-9 entering the second game of the series tomorrow.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

Friday's contest marked the third-ever meeting between the Panthers and Bruins, and their first as members of the same conference. UNI and Belmont had met twice previously, once in 2018 and once in 2020.
The victory improved the Panthers to 2-1 all-time against Belmont.
Friday night marked UNI's first extra innings contest of 2024 and the team's longest game (by number of innings played) since the Panthers' 4-3 loss against Illinois State in the 2018 MVC Tournament.
Heyer had a career-best outing on Friday in the Panthers' victory. She pitched a career-high 10.0 innings and tossed a career-high 165 pitches. It marked her fourth complete game of 2024.
Parks opened MVC play with yet another multi-walk performance, and now has 26 walks on the season. Parks entered action on Friday ranked first in the MVC in on-base percentage and walks per game, and ranked second nationally in the latter statistic.
Parks, UNI softball's career leader in total walks, is closing in on the program's single-season record for total walks. The current record is held by Kennedy Bailey, who recorded 44 walks in 2016.
The Panthers have won their MVC opener in three consecutive seasons.

UP NEXT

UNI continues its series against Belmont on Saturday. First pitch is at 2 p.m. and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.