Skylar Benesh sets UNI single-season runs record in a doubleheader split against Belmont.

Friday, April 24

Cedar Falls, Iowa

2:30 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

22-21, 10-9

Belmont

34-10, 20-4

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Belmont	2	0	0	3	1	1	0	7	8	0
Northern Iowa	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1

Photo by: © Andy Saigh

Skylar Benesh sets UNI single-season runs record in a doubleheader split against Belmont.

4/24/2026 8:54:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — The UNI Panthers hosted the Belmont Bruins at Robinson-Dresser Sports Complex for a doubleheader on Friday. The Bruins, who are receiving votes for the NFCA top 25, took home a game-one shutout on the shoulders of a 13-strikeout game from pitcher Maya Johnson. The Panther bats rallied in game two for a 6-5 victory, forcing a winner-take-all game three on Saturday.

GAME ONE | RV Belmont 7, UNI 0

The Bruin offense opened the game with a bang, with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning to jump out to a hot start.

No one scored in the second or third innings before Belmont tacked on a trio of runs off a pair of singles. The Bruins led 5-0 through four frames.

Home runs from Belmont in the top of the fifth and sixth innings secured the Belmont victory by a 7-0 final. Bruins pitcher Maya Johnson pitched a complete-game shutout with 13 strikeouts and allowed just two hits.

Skylar Benesh and Ava Smithson recorded the lone hits for the Panthers. Smithson recorded a double.

GAME TWO | UNI 6, RV Belmont 5

The Bruins scored first in game two with a solo home run in the top of the fourth inning. The UNI bats struggled to get going once again, until UNI's first home run of the series came off the bat of Brynn Acton with Skylar Benesh on the base path. The run tied Benesh for the single-season record, set in 2021 by Sammey Bunch. UNI led 2-1 after five innings in game two.

Drew Hinrichs drove in Sykora Smith with a hard-hit ball to the shortstop before Paige Peterson scored on a passed ball to give UNI a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth frame. A two-run shot from Skylar Benesh broke the UNI single-season record for individual runs in a season. Benesh has 59 runs this year for the Cats. The Panthers held a 6-1 lead heading into the final frame.

Belmont threatened the UNI lead, scoring four runs with a bases-loaded single to score a pair, a two-run double, and a sacrifice fly. In the circle, Morgan Vertz blew a third strike past a swinging Bruin with two outs to seal UNI's victory over Belmont, 6-5.

Skylar Benesh finished the game with three hits and two runs, including a home run and a double. Sykora Smith was UNI's lone other multi-hit performer with two hits. Brynn Acton drove in a pair with her home run, as Drew Hinrichs claimed the other RBI. In the circle, Morgan Vertz struck out two batters, including the game-winning strikeout, in a 3.1-inning relief effort.

UP NEXT

The Panthers face off in game three of the series against the Belmont Bruins on Saturday, April 25. First pitch in the winner-take-all contest is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT and will be broadcast 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.