University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
17-13, 5-3
Illinois State
18-11, 8-4
Panthers complete 13-run comeback against Illinois State
3/28/2026 6:37:00 PM | Softball
UNI softball flips the script on the Redbirds with a school-record 24 runs in a six-inning victory.
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — The UNI softball team set a program record on Saturday at Robinson-Dresser, with 24 runs against the Illinois State Redbirds in a 24-16, six-inning victory. The win comes after UNI opened the game trailing 0-13 through two and a half innings.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Illinois State jumped out to a lead early with three runs in the top of the first inning, seven in the top of the second, and three in the top of the third to take a staggering 13-0 lead after two and a half innings of action. The Panther bats struggled to connect in the bottom of the first two innings, but came alive in the bottom of the third, cutting the deficit to just two runs with 11 runs in the bottom of the third inning.
A single from Skylar Benesh, with Finley Netten and Drew Hinrichs on the base path, cleared the bases and gave UNI its first two runs of the day. Brynn Acton stepped up and drove a ball deep to left field for UNI's first home run of the afternoon. A single from Sykora Smith drove in Kate Lappe before a single from Drew Hinrichs drove in Katelyn Callahan and Smith to give their sixth run of the day. Brynn Acton stepped back up to the plate with the bases loaded and squeaked a ball over the left field fence for a grand slam, which cut the Illinois State lead to just two runs after three full innings of play.
Illinois State scored a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning to extend their lead back to four at 15-11 before the Cats hung another crooked number on the line with nine runs in the bottom of the frame. Kate Lappe homered to right-center field before a double from Drew Hinrichs drove in a pair. A three-run home run from Addison Brunner, pinch-hitting for Finley Netten, preceded Bryn Acton's third home run of the day. A double to right center from Katelyn Callahan scored Kate Lappe for UNI's ninth run of the inning and 20th run of the contest.
The Redbirds scored on a double in the top of the sixth inning before the Cats shut the door on the game with four runs in the bottom of the sixth to secure a run-rule, comeback victory. Finley Netten hit her first collegiate home run with Paige Peterson on base for a pair before a single up the middle scored Benesh and Lappe to secure the run-rule.
BY THE NUMBERS
Drew Hinrichs finished the game with four hits, four RBIs, and three runs in five at-bats. Brynn Acton, Katelyn Callahan, and Finely Netten all finished with three hits apiece, while Skylar Benesh and Sykora Smith each had two. Acton's three hits were all home runs as she finished with eight RBIs and three runs in six at-bats, including a pair of home runs in a single inning with a grand slam. Kelsey Endress picked up her first win in a UNI uniform with four strikeouts in a 4.2-inning relief effort.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
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UNI's 24 runs scored on Saturday were the most scored in a single game in program history, breaking the previous record of 23 runs scored against Benedictine in 1989. Saturday also marked the fifth time in the 52-year history of UNI softball that the Panthers have scored 20+ runs in a game.
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Saturday marked the second time Northern Iowa has scored 20+ runs under head coach Ryan Jacobs (since 2008), the last coming in 2021 against Evansville (22). It also marked only the second time this century UNI has scored 20+ runs.
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UNI and Illinois State combined for 40 total runs in the finale of this weekend's three-game series, the most in a single game in Panther history, breaking the previous record of 31 set last year against Murray State.
UP NEXT
The Panthers head to Iowa State for a Tuesday-night matchup on March 31. First pitch in Ames is scheduled for 4 p.m. CT, with the game available on ESPN+.
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.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Endress, Kelsey (1-2)
L: Hannah Meshnick (4-7)
Batting:
2B: Bella Atkinson 2 ; Lauren Flowers 2 ; Hannah Meeks 1 ; Bailah Bognar 2
HR: Tatum Wolford 1 ; Hannah Meeks 1
RBI: Tatum Wolford 2 ; Julia Larson 1 ; Lauren Flowers 6 ; Hannah Meeks 4 ; Bailah Bognar 1
SF: Lauren Flowers 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tatum Wolford 3 ; Julia Larson 3 ; Bella Atkinson 3 ; Lauren Flowers 1 ; Ava Boyer 1 ; Hannah Meeks 2 ; Ella Boyer 1 ; Bailah Bognar 2
HBP: Bella Atkinson 1 ; Bailah Bognar 1
Batting:
2B: Callahan, Katelyn 1 ; Smith, Sykora 1 ; Hinrichs, Drew 1 ; Netten, Finley 1
HR: Acton, Brynn 3 ; Lappe, Kate 1 ; Netten, Finley 1 ; Brunner, Addison 1
RBI: Benesh, Skylar 2 ; Acton, Brynn 8 ; Lappe, Kate 1 ; Callahan, Katelyn 1 ; Smithson, Ava 2 ; Smith, Sykora 1 ; Hinrichs, Drew 4 ; Netten, Finley 2 ; Brunner, Addison 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Benesh, Skylar 4 ; Acton, Brynn 3 ; Lappe, Kate 4 ; Callahan, Katelyn 1 ; Smithson, Ava 1 ; Smith, Sykora 2 ; Johnson, Peyton 1 ; Peterson, Paige 1 ; Hinrichs, Drew 3 ; Netten, Finley 3 ; Brunner, Addison 1
SB: Benesh, Skylar 1
