UNI softball takes down Missouri State 6-2 to secure series victory

Saturday, April 6

Cedar Falls, Iowa

1 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

18-13, 0

Missouri State

9-24, 0

Missouri State

Northern Iowa

Photo by: Eli Hull

UNI softball takes down Missouri State 6-2 to secure series victory

4/6/2024 4:37:00 PM | Softball

Box Score FINAL RESULTS Photo Gallery

Madison Parks’ four-RBI performance lifts Panthers in rubber match

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- UNI softball earned its third consecutive Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) series victory on Saturday afternoon with a 6-2 victory against Missouri State at Robinson-Dresser Sports Complex. After the Panthers and Bears split Friday's doubleheader, a four-RBI performance from Madison Parks helped UNI secure victory in Saturday's series finale.

The Panthers began the contest on the front foot, scoring a first-inning run for the 13th time in 2024. Parks led the game off with a single, then Alexis Pupillo walked to put two runners on. Missouri State starting pitcher Shelby Houchlei then forced a double play, but Addison McElrath opened the scoring with a two-out double to right center field.

UNI's defense stole the show in both the second and third innings. In the top of the second, Savanna Jemilo closed the half-inning by throwing out Missouri State's Taylor Akers at second base. Jemilo caught another MSU runner stealing in the top of the fourth inning.

In the top of the third, the Bears again put pressure on Samantha Heyer and the Panther defense. With a runner at second and one out, Olivia Krehbiel ripped a single to left field. Kelsie Lewis rounded third and dashed for home, but a dart from Pupillo beat Lewis to the plate and Jemilo applied the tag for the out. However, the Bears did push the game-tying run across later in the frame with an RBI single from Ellie McCoy.

However, UNI broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth inning. Missouri State's Mackenzie Chacón, who entered the contest for Houchlei in the third inning, surrendered hits to three of the first four Panther batters of the inning. That stretch was capped by an RBI single by Ava Smithson, as her single through the left side of Missouri State's infield brought home Jemilo from second base.

Smithson's hit led to another Missouri State pitching change. Makenzi Swick entered the game for Chacón, and Swick retired Daryn Lamprecht for the second out of the inning. That brought Parks back to the plate, and a wild pitch from Swick during Parks' at-bat moved Smithson and pinch runner Makenna Kuper up a base. With runners at second and third, Parks looped a two-RBI single to left field that brought home both runners and gave the Panthers a 4-1 advantage.

Heyer exited the contest after the fourth inning, as Anna Wischnowski went the rest of the way for UNI in the circle. Missouri State did pull a run back in the top of the fifth, as Jemilo could not corral a two-out popup from Krehbiel that scored Emily Chadwick from third base.

The Panthers held a narrow 4-2 advantage entering the top of the sixth, but back-to-back Wischnowski strikeouts closed the frame. Smithson led off the bottom of the inning with a double, which forced yet another Missouri State pitching change. Gracie Johnston, who started the first game of Friday's doubleheader, finished the game for the Bears. Johnston retired the first batter she faced, but Parks ripped a two-run, opposite field home run to give the Panthers critical insurance runs.

Parks' blast put the Panthers ahead 6-2. UNI did not scratch any additional runs across in the inning, but Wischnowski worked around back-to-back Missouri State singles in the top of the seventh to secure a four-run victory.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

Sunday's series victory continued an impressive streak for UNI softball. UNI has not lost an MVC series since 2021, when Missouri State took two out of three games from UNI in a series that ran from March 20-21.
Parks had perhaps the best game of her decorated UNI career on Saturday against Missouri State. Parks finished the game 4-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs.
On Saturday, Parks set a new career high for hits in a single game (four) and RBIs in a single game (four). Prior to Saturday's game against Missouri State, Parks had never recorded four hits or four RBIs in a collegiate contest.
Parks did not pick up a walk on Saturday and, despite ranking second nationally entering this weekend's series against the Bears with 1.11 walks per game, has recorded just one walk in her last five games. Parks remains well within striking distance to crack UNI softball's single-season leaderboard for most walks recorded.
After recording her first career multi-hit game on Tuesday against Iowa State, Smithson had another multi-hit performance on Saturday. Additionally, Smithson has now recorded an RBI in a career-high three consecutive contests.
Smithson hit her first double as a Panther in the sixth inning.
Kuper has scored a run in three consecutive games, her longest such streak in 2024.
Prior to Saturday, Jemilo had caught just one runner stealing thus far in 2024. Saturday's game marked the first time Jemilo has caught multiple runners stealing in the same game, and her first since Feb. 23 against Longwood.
Adalyn Reynolds stole her first career base on Saturday.

UP NEXT

The Panthers return to action next week with four MVC contests. UNI begins the week with a game at Drake on April 9, then the team visits Bradley for a three-game series next weekend. All four games can be streamed on ESPN+.