UNI softball opens action at Robinson-Dresser with adjusted weekend series against Indiana State

UNI softball (13-10 / 2-1 MVC) vs. Indiana State (13-15 / 2-3 MVC) (DH Game 1)

1 p.m CT | March 22
Robinson-Dresser Sports Complex | Cedar Falls, Iowa

UNI softball vs. Indiana State (DH Game 2)

3:30 p.m. CT | March 22
Robinson-Dresser Sports Complex | Cedar Falls, Iowa

UNI softball vs. Indiana State

4 p.m CT | March 23
Robinson-Dresser Sports Complex | Cedar Falls, Iowa
LIVE STATS

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- UNI softball makes its highly-anticipated return to Robinson-Dresser Sports Complex this weekend for a series against Indiana State. The series against Sycamores marks the first action at Robinson-Dresser for the Panthers in 2024, and the first of 14 scheduled home games for UNI over the final month-and-a-half of the regular season.

However, forecasted cold temperatures and inclement weather have caused this weekend's schedule to change. The Panthers and Sycamores will begin the series with a Friday doubleheader starting at 1 p.m., which will mark the first traditional doubleheader UNI has played in 2024. The final game of the series will be played at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, there will not be ESPN+ broadcasts available for this weekend's games. Live stats will be available throughout the weekend.

The Panthers enter their first home series on the heels of a Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) series victory at Belmont last weekend. In the first-ever conference meeting between the sides, UNI outlasted the Bruins 3-1 in a 10-inning contest last Friday, then rode a strong offensive performance to an 8-4 victory last Saturday. The Bruins picked up a 4-0 victory on Sunday to avoid the series sweep.

Samantha Heyer starred in the Panthers' Friday victory over the Bruins, pitching all 10 innings in a gutsy performance. Heyer set a career high in innings pitched and total pitches thrown (165), striking out 11 Bruin batters as the Panthers won their third consecutive MVC opener. Heyer also pitched the opening two innings of Sunday's contest.

Anna Wischnowski, meanwhile, continued her breakout campaign last Saturday with her fourth complete game of the 2024 season in the Panthers' 8-4 victory. Her 57.1 innings pitched, seven victories and 4.03 ERA are all career-best marks through 12 appearances so far in 2024.

Daryn Lamprecht again had a solid week at the plate, highlighted by her second career three-hit performance last Saturday against Belmont, while Alexis Pupillo also hit her ninth home run of the 2024 campaign last Saturday. Madison Parks, who continues to inch closer to UNI softball's single-season walks record, picked up three walks in last weekend's series.

Pupillo remains first in the MVC in both total home runs and home runs per game (0.39). Nationally, Pupillo ranks No. 24 with nine home runs and is No. 10 nationally in home runs per game. Pupillo also leads the MVC with 24 RBIs. Parks leads the conference and ranks second nationally with 1.17 walks per game, and her 27 walks are tied for the third-highest total in Division I.

The Panthers now return to Robinson-Dresser Sports Complex, which has been a fortress for the program in recent years. UNI has compiled a 37-1 conference home record over the last three seasons, and the team's last MVC home loss came on April 24, 2021 against Bradley. UNI's last loss at Robinson-Dresser was on May 4, 2022 against Iowa.

This weekend's opponent, Indiana State, is no stranger to playing spoiler and is more-than capable of souring the Panthers' long awaited homecoming. Last season, the Sycamores handed the Panthers their first and only MVC regular season loss and ended UNI's season in the semifinals of the 2023 MVC Tournament.

Indiana State is led offensively by Isabella Henning, who ranks No. 25 nationally with 10 doubles and has 15 RBIs. Sycamore shortstop Kennedy Shade's 23 RBIs rank one spot behind Pupillo in the conference, and two-time MVC All-Defensive Team selection Abi Chipps ranks No. 2 in the conference with 31 hits.

The Sycamores are 2-3 so far in MVC play. Indiana State took down Evansville 9-0 in its conference opener on March 12 before losing to the Purple Aces 6-5 in the finale of a two-game series. Last weekend, the Sycamores took a series loss against Bradley. Indiana State won the second game of the series 7-0 but lost the finale 11-0. Indiana State ranks No. 212 nationally and eighth in the MVC with a 4.53 team earned run average.

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