UNI softball picks up sixth conference win over UIC

Sunday, March 26

Chicago, IL

1 PM

University of Northern Iowa

17-9, 0

UIC

0-28, 0

Northern Iowa

UIC

Faith Standerski at the Panther Invitational

UNI softball picks up sixth conference win over UIC

3/26/2023 5:32:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

CHICAGO – The Panthers added their seventh shutout of the year to sweep the UIC Flames on Sunday afternoon in a 7-0 win.

An early lead grew to another large shutout as freshman catcher Alexis Pupillo hit her first collegiate grand slam. The five-run inning helped lead UNI to its sixth Missouri Valley Conference win, giving the team a perfect record through two weeks of play.

The Panthers got a leadoff single from shortstop Kylee Sanders but otherwise had a quiet first inning after lining into a double play. The Flames almost mirrored UNI's start with a leadoff single, but three straight outs after ended the first inning.

The second inning was where the Panther offense got going with two hits and two runs scored. Despite a leadoff out, UNI had back-to-back singles from infielders Taylor Hogan and Brooke Snider. Snider's single to right field became a triple after a throwing error put her on third and scored Hogan. Snider scored shortly after as outfielder Faith Standerski hit a sac fly to deep center.

With a two-run lead, the Panthers took down UIC in order to end the second. The Flames put in a new pitcher in the third, and the game turned into a pitcher's duel for the third and fourth innings. Starting pitcher Kailyn Packard threw two strikeouts and three ground outs in the middle frames.

UNI's offense exploded in the fifth inning as every position in the lineup had an at-bat. The hot offense began with a leadoff single from Snider. The Panthers soon had the bases loaded on a hit-by-pitch and a walk. Pupillo took advantage of the situation, knocking her sixth home run of the season out of left field for her first career grand slam.

The grand slam put UNI up by six, but the team wasn't done yet. The two at-bats after Pupillo's homer were walks, giving the Panthers more runners to potentially have another run-rule game. While one runner was caught stealing, left fielder Mya Dodge scored the last run of the game. She reached second on an error and a single up the middle by pinch hitter Addison McElrath brought her home

After a big offensive inning, UNI locked down on defense, allowing only three more runners in the final two and a half innings. In the final three innings, the Panthers had nine putouts and seven strikeouts. UNI continued their perfect conference season with the 7-0 win over the Flames.

Six Panthers had a hit in the final game against UIC, with seven scoring a run. The only UNI player with multiple offensive stats was Pupillo, having four RBIs from her grand slam in the fifth inning. On defense, Pupillo and Lamprecht had several putouts at 10 and nine apiece, while Dodge added two from the outfield.

The Panthers used two pitchers in their final game of the week. Starting pitcher Kailyn Packard picked up her seventh win of the season after throwing four innings for one hit, one walk, and three strikeouts. Relief pitcher Samantha Heyer picked up her third save of the season in three innings pitched, allowing two hits while striking out seven others.

UP NEXT:
UNI has a big midweek matchup on Wednesday, March 29 in Missouri. The Panthers will play the Missouri Tigers on their home field, who have received multiple votes in the Top 25 poll for the past two weeks and were ranked three weeks ago. First pitch from Mizzou Softball Stadium on Wednesday is set for 3 p.m.