The University of Northern Iowa softball team looked to rebound this weekend after suffering their first loss in Missouri Valley Conference play last weekend. The Panthers faced Missouri State University for a three-game series in Cedar Falls. After a strong start, winning two games on Saturday, the Panthers lost game three on Sunday.
In game one of the series, Jamie Fisher went to the circle for UNI. Fisher pitched tremendously, striking out 10 batters and allowing just two hits in nine innings. The Panthers (33-12, 17-2 MVC) needed extra innings, but a ninth inning rally sparked by a Gina Brown walk-off grand slam was enough to defeat MSU 5-1. Offensively, UNI had only four hits, two coming off the bat of Brown.
Game two of the series was the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday. Jaye Hutcheson started for the Panthers, winning her 13th game of the season. UNI defeated MSU 7-6 despite recording three errors. Hutcheson struck out seven batters and walked four in the seven innings of work she pitched.
UNI got on the board first in the third inning. With runners on first and second base, Courtney Dunker hit a home run to put the Panthers up 3-0. After scoring another run in the bottom of the fourth inning, Hutcheson gave up MSUs first run in the top of the fifth. MSU would go on to take a 5-4 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, Brown came through in the clutch again with an RBI single to put the Panthers up 6-5. Brown later scored on a wild pitch to put UNI up 7-5. Missouri State scored one run in the top of the seventh, but Hutcheson held on to give the Panthers a 7-6 victory.
On Sunday, the two teams met for a third and final time. Fisher toed the rubber once again for the Panthers. While she pitched well, lasting eight innings and allowing just one run, the UNI offense came up short. UNI fell to MSU 1-0 in an eight inning game.
The Panthers recorded their one and only hit in the bottom of the first inning on a Hannah Borschel single. UNI had a runner on second base in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings, but failed to deliver a game-winning hit.
Its just the way the game goes, said UNI head coach Ryan Jacobs after Sundays loss. You play as hard as you can and we play the way we practice every day. We did that for three games (this weekend).
UNI returns to action on Wednesday to face off with Bradley University in Cedar Falls.
