UNI softball splits games against Northern Illinois, Omaha – UNI Athletics

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — UNI softball split a pair of games on Saturday evening as the annual Doc Halverson UNI-Dome classic rolled along. The Panthers started Saturday with a 7-3 victory over Northern Illinois before dropping a 6-2 game against Omaha to wrap up action on day two of the event. 

UNI was able to record its first 3-0 start to a season since 2018 after an impressive offensive showing powered the Panthers to a four-run victory against Northern Illinois. Taylor Hogan led the way with a team-high four RBIs, and Alexis Pupillo and Madison Parks hit back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning to secure the win. 

The Panthers were unfortunately unable to carry that momentum over into their game against Omaha. UNI now sits at 3-1 ahead of the final day of the event on Sunday, where the Panthers wrap up the weekend with another game against Western Illinois. 

Game 1 | UNI 7 – NIU 3

The Panthers started quickly for the second consecutive contest, jumping on NIU starting pitcher Madison Carlson for a pair of first-inning runs. Carlson walked the bases loaded in the home half of the opening frame, which set the table for Hogan to poke a two-out, two-run single into center field to open the scoring. 

Samantha Heyer, who got the start for the Panthers after a complete game shutout against Butler on Friday night, powered through two innings before running into some trouble in the third. 

NIU’s Ellis Erickson hit a solo home run with one out to kickstart the rally. Erickson’s home run snapped a 16-inning shutout streak for the Panther pitching staff, the longest such streak to start a UNI softball season since 2002.

A double and a hit batter put runners at second and third, and the Huskies took the lead with two outs in the inning. Katy Ramage fizzed a sharply-hit ground ball to Kylee Sanders, whose throw to first base from the back of the infield took an errant hop and allowed both runners to score. 

Heyer closed out the inning in what would ultimately be her last action of the day. Anna Wischnowski, who featured in the Panthers’ game Friday against Western Illinois, pitched the final four innings of the contest. 

In the bottom of the third, Hogan again came up clutch with a two-out RBI. With two outs, Kate Lappe roped a double down the left field line to set up Hogan, who drove Lappe home with a double of her own. Wischnowski then cruised through two efficient innings before the Panthers threatened once again in the bottom of the fifth. 

UNI loaded the bases with no outs, which brought Hogan to the plate. She delivered what would ultimately be the game-winning RBI, poking a run-scoring double through the left side of the NIU infield. 

The Panthers broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth inning after another quick inning from Wischnowski. Sanders kicked things off with a deep double that hit the left field fence on the fly, then Pupillo drove her home with a towering home run into the right field bleachers. 

Parks, the next batter, followed suit with a blast to right field. The consecutive home runs blew the game open for the Panthers, and Wischnowski closed out an impressive relief outing with a 1-2-3 inning to secure the 7-3 win. 

Wischnowski allowed just two hits in four innings of work. The Trevor, Wisconsin native picked up her second victory of the 2024 campaign in the process. 

Game 2 | Omaha 6 – UNI 2

The Panthers unfortunately picked up their first loss of the season in their second and final game of the night, which took place 30 minutes after defeating Northern Illinois. The Mavericks jumped out to an early lead that proved too significant for the Panthers to overcome, and Omaha pitcher Kamryn Meyer spun a complete game while largely keeping UNI’s bats at bay. 

Maddy McDermott received her first collegiate start for the Panthers in Saturday night’s contest, and the Mavericks greeted her with a pair of early runs. Omaha loaded the bases with no outs before McDermott settled in, forcing a fielder’s choice and a sacrifice fly before ending the inning one batter later. The Mavericks did turn the fielder’s choice and sacrifice fly into runs, though, and held a 2-0 advantage after the top of the first inning. 

Meyer held the Panthers hitless through the first two innings before the Mavericks extended their lead in the top of the third. Omaha started the inning with back-to-back singles then, after a fielder’s choice, Sydney Ross belted a three-run home run to put the Mavericks up 5-0. 

McDermott ultimately went four innings in her collegiate debut, allowing five hits and five earned runs. She earned the first strikeout of her collegiate career in the top of the third inning. Kara Maiers went the rest of the way for the Panthers in relief. 

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Pupillo belted her second home run in as many games with a sharp drive to right field. UNI’s second run came in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Addison McElrath recorded her first RBI of the season with a sacrifice fly that scored Lappe from third base. 

Omaha added an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning with a solo home run to extend its lead to 6-2. 

Savanna Jemilo recorded her first collegiate hit in the bottom of the seventh inning. Meyer then retired the Panthers in order to hand UNI its first loss of the season.     

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Prior to Saturday, the Panthers had not started a season 3-0 since 2018. UNI’s 16-inning scoreless streak to start the season was its longest to begin a campaign since 2002. 
• Parks hit her 15th career home run to cap an explosive sixth inning against Northern Illinois. Prior to Saturday, Parks had not hit a home run since April 14, 2023. 
• Saturday’s win against Northern Illinois marked the third four-RBI game of Hogan’s career. Her career high for runs batted in came on March 18, 2023 with a six-RBI performance against Murray State. 
• Not only did Pupillo pick up her first two home runs of the 2024 season on Saturday, she also made a bit of personal history. In 2023, Pupillo started all 51 of UNI’s games behind the plate. Pupillo started in right field for the first time in her collegiate career against Omaha, recording three putouts in the contest.
• Ellie Owen made her season debut against the Huskies. 
• Wischnowski made her second career plate appearance in the bottom of the sixth inning against Northern Illinois. She drew a walk. 
• Ava Smithson made her first appearance as a Panther on Saturday against the Mavericks. She did not record a hit in her lone plate appearance. Smithson started the game against Omaha. 
• Maiers, a Kirkwood Community College transfer, pitched the final three innings against the Mavericks. She allowed three hits and a run while striking out two batters in relief. 
• Jemilo, who earned her first collegiate at-bat on Friday night against Western Illinois, knocked an opposite-field double for her first collegiate hit against the Mavericks.  

UP NEXT

The Panthers return to action on Sunday to wrap up the third and final day of the Doc Halverson UNI-Dome Classic. UNI faces Western Illinois, who the Panthers beat 6-0 on Friday night, at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.