Panthers host league-leading Salukis in a crucial MVC showdown

UNI softball (24-14 / 12-6 MVC) vs. Southern Illinois (25-15 / 16-1 MVC)

Robinson-Dresser Sports Complex | Cedar Falls, Iowa
April 18 | 5 p.m. CT
April 19 | 2 & 5 p.m. CT
ESPN+

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — UNI softball continues its nine-game home stand this weekend with a key three-game Missouri Valley Conference series against league-leading Southern Illinois. Originally scheduled to be played across three days, the series has been adjusted to feature a single game on Friday followed by a doubleheader on Saturday at Robinson-Dresser Sports Complex.

The matchup marks games six through eight of the homestand and brings together two of the MVC's premier programs in a rematch of last year's conference championship.

UNI enters the weekend following a midweek split against in-state rival Drake. The Panthers took a dramatic 8-7 win in game one thanks to a walk-off from junior infielder Kate Lappe, before dropping game two in a 12-11 slugfest. Lappe was nearly unstoppable at the plate, posting a staggering .875 average and 1.500 slugging percentage with seven hits, three runs, and six RBIs across the two contests.

Four other Panthers also hit over .300 in the series, including Drew Hinrichs (.714), Addison McElrath (.500), Skylar Benesh (.333), and Ella Smithson (.333). McElrath added a home run and a double for a 1.000 slugging percentage, continuing a season where she ranks second in the Valley in home runs per game (0.29) and third in slugging (.675).

In the circle, Morgan Vertz shouldered the pitching load with 8.1 innings of work, earning both decisions and recording a 4.32 ERA with two strikeouts.

Southern Illinois rolls into Cedar Falls as the top team in the MVC, looking to extend its lead in the standings. The Salukis and Panthers have met 131 times in program history, with SIU holding an 80-51 edge. Most recently, the two squads faced off in last season's MVC Tournament Championship, a tight 3-2 win for SIU. However, UNI took the regular season series in Carbondale last year, winning two of three behind back-to-back 2-1 victories.

UNI enters the weekend as one of the top offensive teams in both the Valley and the nation. The Panthers lead the MVC in 12 statistical categories, including home runs (55), runs (242), stolen bases (88), and slugging percentage (.491). Nationally, UNI ranks top 20 in walks (10th), stolen bases per game (12th), and home runs per game (16th). With just three stolen bases, the team will break its own single-season record of 90, set in 2023.

Shortstop Kylee Sanders continues to shine, leading the MVC in batting average (.425), hits (51), and runs per game (0.97), while ranking third nationally in assists per game (2.84). Lappe remains a force with a conference-leading .798 slugging percentage and 87 total bases, and Benesh has proven to be one of the league's elite base runners with an MVC-best 20 steals on the season. She is four stolen bases shy of breaking the UNI single-season record set by Kristi Johnson in 2001 with 24 swipes

Earlier this month, head coach Ryan Jacobs became the program's all-time wins leader with a comeback victory at Illinois. He also reached the 500-win mark in UNI's win over RV Omaha in the Doc Halverson Classic, becoming just the eighth coach in MVC history to achieve that feat. Jacobs is now just nine conference wins shy of moving into the top five on the Valley's all-time list.

With the regular season winding down, UNI is looking to secure its sixth straight season (excluding 2020) finishing .500 or better in MVC play. The series against Southern Illinois could go a long way in determining conference tournament seeding and solidifying the Panthers' position in the top tier of the MVC.

UNI softball action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Softball), X (@UNISoftball), and on Instagram (@unisoftball). The 2025 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.

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