Panther softball drops game three at Illinois State

Sunday, April 27

Normal, Ill.

12 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

28-17, 16-8

Illinois State

20-28, 13-10

UNI

Illinois State

Photo by: © Andy Saigh

Panther softball drops game three at Illinois State

4/27/2025 2:31:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Final Stats

Redbirds claim the last Panther road game of the MVC slate, 5-4

NORMAL, Ill. — The UNI softball team wrapped up the road portion of its MVC scheduled with game three of a series at Illinois State on Sunday. UNI got on the board early, but the Redbirds clawed back and took home a 5-4 victory with a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Katelyn Callahan got the Panthers on the board with a two-RBI single in the top of the first inning to score Kylee Sanders and Addison McElrath. Kate Lappe crossed the plate off the bat of Ella Smithson to give UNI a 3-0 lead after the top-half of the first inning.

Illinois State scored four unanswered runs over the course of the next four innings and held a 4-3 lead heading into the sixth frame. Ava Smithson tied the game with a double to score Makenna Kuper in the top of the sixth inning. The Panthers were unable to get another runner across the plate and Illinois State scored the walk-off winner in the bottom of the seventh to hand UNI its first MVC loss on the road of the season.

Kate Lappe was the lone Panther with multiple hits as the junior recorded a pair in three at bats.

UP NEXT

The Panthers head to Iowa City to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes on Wednesday, April 30. First pitch is slated for 5:30 p.m. with coverage available on B1G+.

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.