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Feb. 9, 2008

Box Score

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The University of Northern Iowa softball team fell 4-3 to South Dakota State Saturday in an extra-inning contest in the Ramada UNI-Dome Classic.

The Panthers jumped to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second after Morgan Paulson (Fort Dodge, Iowa/Fort Dodge) reached base on a fielding error and then scored off a single up the middle by Kelly Papesh (Minooka, Ill./Minooka). Sarah Bakey (West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley) then drove Papesh in with a single of her own.

The Panthers' lead was short-lived as the Jacks came out swinging in the top of the third. South Dakota State evened things up with a pair of runs on a two-RBI single by Kiley Schwedhelm.

Neither team managed to score over the next four innings, and the Jacks held the Panthers scoreless in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings.

Following international tie-breaker rules, Ashley Durazo was placed on second for SDSU and found her way home on a bunt by Brittany Postma.  A single by Schwedhelm drove Postma home, leaving the Panthers facing a 4-2 deficit.

After Paulson was placed on second for the Panthers, Papesh stroked a single to center field that sent Paulson home, but the Jacks turned a double play to end the Panthers hopes of a comeback. Papesh finished the game 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs, while Brittany Ruzicka (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Jefferson) also had two hits.

Both teams had plenty of offensive opportunities throughout the game, as SDSU left 13 runners on base and UNI stranded 10.

SDSU's Jenna Marston was credited with the win, after throwing a complete-game for the Jacks, allowing only seven hits and no earned runs. Bakey was credited with the loss for the Panthers, while starter Jen Larsen (Moline, Ill./Moline) took a no-decision after holding the Jacks to a pair a runs in five innings of work.

UNI will face SDSU again Sunday at 2 p.m. and then take on North Dakota at 4 p.m. in the final day of the Ramada UNI-Dome Classic.

NOTES

South Dakota State improved to 2-0 after defeating North Dakota earlier in the day. UNI fell to 1-1 after topping Dayton 7-5 in its first game Saturday.

In two games Saturday, the Panthers combined for just five strikeouts at the plate. The Panthers averaged 6.25 a season ago.