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Feb. 11, 2007

Box Score

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa softball team found an offensive groove that carried the Panthers past Drake for a 13-4 win Sunday in the finale of the Ramada Inn UNI-Dome Softball Invitational.

The Panthers claimed the win in five innings via the eight-run rule, pounding out 10 hits, including a pair of home runs.

Ashley Lepley (Albia, Iowa/Albia) put the Panthers on the board in the bottom of the first, following up a leadoff single by Brittany Ruzicka (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Jefferson) and a double by Rachel Gerking (Spirit Lake, Iowa/Spirit Lake) with a three-run home run to give UNI a 3-0 edge. The homer was Lepley's second of the weekend and gave her five RBI in her first four games as a Panther.

The Bulldogs cracked the scoreboard in their half of the third, with Susan Slycord, who walked to lead off the inning, scoring on an RBI single to left by Elena Leon.  Ruzicka, playing left field, saved another run for the Panthers by firing a throw to catcher Kelly Papesh (Minooka, Ill./Minooka) to gun down Bridget Shields at the plate.  Drake added another tally with its next batter, however, as Lindsday Larry scored on a single by Jenna Wilkin.

Drake then tied things at 3 on a single by Jaci Faidley, who smoked a line drive that was too hot for relief pitcher Jen Larsen (Moline, Ill./Moline) to handle, to score Wilkin.

Larsen provided UNI's answer, however, with a solo home run over the tall right field wall to lead off the Panthers' third inning.  The homer, a first for the freshman Larsen, put UNI on top 4-3.   Heather Tarter (Fairbury, Ill./Prairie Central) and Morgan Paulson (Fort Dodge, Iowa/Fort Dodge) also scored on a wild exchange in which the Bulldogs committed two errors.

Gerking drove in two more runs for the Panthers with a two-out single, plating Whitney Link (Ankeny, Iowa/Des Moines East) and Stefaney Shalla (Kalona, Iowa/Mid-Prairie) and pushing UNI's advantage to 8-3.

Drake added a run in the top of the fourth, with Wilkin legging out a two-out, infield single to plate Shields and cut UNI's lead to 8-4.  The Panthers answered with a run in the bottom of the frame on a series of Bulldog errors.

Tarter reached on an error to lead off the inning and later scored on another miscue, and Paulson, who singled, was then walked home to give UNI a six-run lead.  Link, who also reached on an error, then scored UNI's third run of the frame on an RBI groundout by Ruzicka.  Gerking then drove in another pair of runs on an RBI single that plated Shalla and Aguero.

Cassie Heller took the loss for Drake, falling to 1-3 on the year, while Larsen earned her first collegiate win after allowing just a single run on four hits over the game's final 2 1/3 innings.

With the victory, the Panthers improve to 2-2 on the season, while Drake falls to 1-3.

The Panthers have a weekend off before heading to Pekin, Ill., for the Schutt Showcase tournament hosted by Bradley at Dragon's Dome the weekend of Feb. 24-25.