University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Drake
Panthers continue program’s oldest rivalry with game 141 on Tuesday
4/7/2025 8:45:00 PM | Softball
UNI softball (21-11 / 9-3 MVC) at Drake (13-21 / 5-7 MVC)
- Buel Field | Des Moines, Iowa
- April 8 | 5 p.m. CT
- ESPN+
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — The UNI softball team meets up with the Drake Bulldogs for a midweek showdown at Buel Field in Des Moines, Iowa on Tuesday, April 8 to continue the program's longest rivalry. The Panthers and the Bulldogs have met on 140 previous occasions with UNI holding an 83-57 advantage in the series. Last season, the Panthers were victorious in all three meetings with scores of 7-0 at Drake, 7-5 at home, and 6-0 at Drake. The last time the Panthers lost to the Bulldogs was in 2021 in a 9-1 loss at Drake in game two of a doubleheader.
The Panthers are coming off a 2-1 weekend at Robinson-Dresser Sports Complex against the Missouri State Bears. After the matchup was originally scheduled to be played in Missouri, games were moved to Cedar Falls due to extreme weather in Springfield. As the visiting team, the Panthers took games one and three by scores of 5-3 and 4-1 respectively. Game three was an eight-inning victory for UNI which saw a 0-0 score after the seven scheduled innings. The Bears claimed game two by a 10-1, five-inning final.
Kate Lappe recorded both of the Panthers' two home runs over the weekend with her second coming on a three-run shot in the top of the eighth inning of game three. The home run proved to be the difference maker in the contest. The junior finished with five total hits in seven at-bats for a .714 batting average and a 1.571 slugging percentage. Lappe was named the MVC Player of the Week for her performance against Missouri State.
Anna Wischnowski picked up both wins for the Panthers and improved to 11-5 on the season. The redshirt-junior pitched 12.1 innings including her ninth complete game of the season. Wischnowski punched out 10 batters and only gave up four earned runs over the weekend.
Head coach Ryan Jacobs became UNI's all-time winningest coach with a 7-6, eight-inning, comeback win at Illinois. Jacobs is in his 18th season at the Panther helm. UNI's victory over RV Omaha in game five of the 2025 Doc Halverson Classic was Jacobs' 500th victory. He became the eighth head coach in MVC history and the second in UNI history to eclipse the 500-win mark.
As of April 7, the Panthers led the MVC in a number of statistical categories including double plays per game (0.41), home runs (41), home runs per game (1.28), on-base percentage (.393), scoring (5.69), stolen bases per game (2.50), total stolen bases (80), and walks (151). UNI is second in the Valley in double plays (13), hit by pitch (19), RBIs per game (5.19), and win/loss percentage (.656) and are third in batting average (.276), doubles per game (1.25), fewest hit batters (10), RBIs (166), and slugging percentage (.468).
The Panthers' 2.50 stolen bases per game are 11th in the nation while their 80 total stolen bases are 16th.
UNI's 80 stolen bases are 10 away from the program's record of 90 set in 2023.
Kylee Sanders boasts a nation's sixth-best and Valley-leading 2.74 assists per game mark. The shortstop also leads the league with a .470 batting average, 47 total hits, and a .558 on-base percentage. The senior is second in the MVC with 0.29 doubles per game and five hit by pitches and is third with 85 assists.
Addison McElrath leads the Valley with 0.31 home runs per game. She is second in the league with 10 total home runs and third with a .663 slugging percentage.
Freshman Skylar Benesh has been one of the best in the MVC along the base path with a Valley-leading 17 stolen bases, 0.53 stolen bases per game, and a .895 stolen base percentage. Benesh is seven stolen bases from tying the UNI single-season record set by Kristi Johnson in 2001 with 24 swipes.
Kate Lappe has shown her extra-base hitting this season with a Valley-leading .767 slugging percentage. The infielder is second in the MVC with 0.29 doubles per game and a .505 on-base percentage and third with a .400 batting average and 0.26 home runs per game.
UNI is looking for its sixth straight season (excluding COVID-19 2020 season) at .500 or better in conference play as well as top three in the league. After the weekend against Missouri State, the Panthers have won 111 conference matchups in that span to just 29 MVC losses. Coach Jacobs is 12 conference victories away from moving up to no. 5 on the Valley's all-time MVC wins chart which is now occupied by Brent Vigness (CU, 1994-2013) with 282 Valley victories.
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.
