Panther softball drops a pair of contests inside the UNI-Dome

Sunday, February 8

Cedar Falls, Iowa

12:30 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

2-2

Kansas City

2-3

Kansas City

Northern Iowa

Photo by: Garrett Hoyt

Panther softball drops a pair of contests inside the UNI-Dome

2/8/2026 5:49:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Kansas City and Iowa State get the better of the Cats to close out the Doc Halverson Classic.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — The Panther softball team closed out the 2026 Doc Halverson UNI-Dome Classic on Sunday. The Cats dropped both matchups on the final day of action inside the UNI-Dome with a 6-5 loss to Kansas City and a 5-3 loss to Iowa State

GAME ONE | Kansas City 6, UNI 5
Two scoreless innings opened the Panthers penultimate matchup of the 2026 Doc Halverson Classic against Kansas City. The Roos got on the board first with a pair of two-out hits, one single and one triple, to plate three runs. The home half of the inning saw the Cats load the bases, but nothing came of it as Kansas City was able to get out of the inning with no damage.

A double from Skylar Benesh in the bottom of the fourth inning scored Paige Peterson and Sykora Smith to cut into the Roos' lead before a three-run fifth inning for the Panthers, including home runs from Kate Lappe and Sykora Smith, saw UNI take a 5-3 lead after five innings of action.

Kansas City scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning, to which Uni didn't have an answer, to take home a 6-5 victory in the Roos' final game of the Classic.
Skylar Benesh, Kate Lappe, and Sykora Smith finished with multi-hit performances with two hits apiece. Benesh and Smith recorded a pair of RBIs each. Anna Wischnowski finished with three strikeouts in 2.2 innings in the circle.

GAME TWO | Iowa State 5, UNI 3
Iowa State was the first on the board with a run in the top of the first inning before the Cats took control in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run frame. Sykora Smith doubled to right-center field, which plated Adalyn Reynolds. Ella Smithson crossed the plate off the bat of Brynn Acton, and Smith scored on a passed ball to give the Cats a 3-1 lead after four innings of action.

Iowa State regained the lead in the top of the fifth frame with a four-run burst to take a 5-3 lead. The matchup remained 5-3 in favor of the Cyclones through the visiting half of the seventh inning, which brought up the Panther two, three, and four hitters. Peyton Johnson led off for UNI and got on base because of a walk, but the next three Panthers were retired in order close the contest.

Sykora Smith was the lone Panther with a multi-hit performance against Iowa State. She finished with two hits, a run, and an RBI in three at-bats. Maddy McDermott and Morgan Vertz combined for five strikeouts on the day.

UP NEXT
The Cats get a week off from action before heading to Central Arkansas for a midweek matchup against the Sugar Bears on February 18. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT in Conway, Arkansas.

UNI softball action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Softball), X (@UNISoftball), and on Instagram (@unisoftball). The 2026 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.