University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Northwestern
Panther softball splits day two of the NKU Tournament
3/14/2026 8:21:00 PM | Softball
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Kentucky — The Panther softball team split Saturday action in Kentucky with a pair of shortened contests against Northwestern and Northern Kentucky. In game one of the day, UNI dropped a six-inning matchup with Northwestern, 10-2, before a five-inning victory over Northern Kentucky, 11-3.
GAME ONE | Northwestern 10, UNI 2 (F/6)
The Northwestern Wildcats got on the board first, with a home run in the bottom of the third inning, before a two-run home run in the top of the fifth inning off the bat of Skylar Benesh gave UNI a 2-1 lead.
That would be the lone run the Cats would score, as Northwestern plated three in the bottom of the fifth and six in the bottom of the sixth to walk off the contest against the Panthers.
Skylar Benesh has UNI's only hits of the game. She recorded two hits, two RBIs, and a run in three at-bats. Morgan Vertz struck out four batters in her 4.2-inning start.
GAME TWO | UNI 11, Northern Kentucky 3 (F/5)
UNI scored a run in all five innings of action on Saturday afternoon, en route to an 11-3, five-inning victory over Northern Kentucky.
A sacrifice fly off the bat of Sykora Smith got the Panthers on the board, as Skylar Benesh crossed home plate for UNI's first run of the second game of the day. A double in the bottom of the first inning scored Northern Kentucky's first run of the afternoon.
A bases-loaded walk, drawn by Kate Lappe, scored UNI's second run of the game as Ella Smithson crossed home plate in the top of the second inning, before a solo home run off the bat of Sykora Smith in the top of the third gave the Cats a 3-1 advantage.
UNI scored three runs in the top of the fourth, continuing the trend from Friday of multi-run fourth-inning performances. Skylar Benesh drove in Eve Morris with a sacrifice fly to right field before Brynn Acton was driven home on a double off the bat of Kate Lappe. UNI took a 6-1 lead with another bases-loaded walk drawn by Peyton Johnson, which brought Lappe the final 60 feet from third base to home plate.
The Norse scored their final two runs of the game with a two-run double in the bottom of the fourth inning before UNI scored five in the top of the fifth to ice the contest. Brynn Acton reached first on a fielding error to score Eve Morris before a single from Sykora Smith plated Acton to extend the Panther lead to six at 9-3. The third bases-loaded walk of the game was drawn, for a second time, by Peyton Johnson to score Adalyn Reynolds before a sacrifice fly off the bat of Ella Smithson drove in Sykora Smith for UNI's final run of the contest.
Skylar Benesh, Kate Lappe, and Sykora Smith were the Panthers' multi-hit performers in game two, each recording a pair of hits in the contest. Smith drove in three runs with two hits and two runs in two at-bats and a walk. Anna Wischnowski picked up her fourth victory of the season in a five-inning complete game. She struck out seven batters against the Norse.
UP NEXT
The Panthers close the weekend on Sunday, March 15, as they take on Northern Kentucky for the third time of the weekend. First pitch is scheduled for 9 a.m. CT.
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.
