March 22, 2006
Box Score
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The University of Northern Iowa softball team scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to rally past Wartburg on Wednesday, earning a 7-6 win over the Knights at Panther Park.
The Panthers held a 5-3 lead going into the seventh, but the Knights pounded out three runs in the top half of the frame to snatch a 6-5 advantage. Ashley Steines drew a leadoff walk and eventually scored on a wild pitch, but the Panthers looked to be on their way out of the inning with a one-run lead when shortstop Rachael Rogers (Dubuque, Iowa/Wahlert) fielded a line drive and then turned a double play. Cari Kinzenbaw put the Knights on top, however, when she stroked a double to score Ashley Rogers and Stephanie Howe.
With UNI trailing by a run, Nikki Ferden (Eldridge, Iowa/North Scott) legged out an infield single, scoring when Rachael Rogers drove a double to right center to knot the score at 6-6. Freshman Morgan Paulson (Fort Dodge, Iowa/Fort Dodge) then stepped up and delivered a double of her own, plating Rogers to give UNI the 7-6 win.
Rogers put UNI on the board in the fourth with the Panthers trailing 2-0, leading off the inning by belting a solo home run to right field. After Paulson reached on an error and Stephanie Aguero (Muscatine, Iowa/Muscatine) moved pinch runner Mandy Kumamoto (Torrance, Calif./West) to second, freshman Kelly Papesh (Minooka, Ill./Minooka) lofted a two-run homer to left field to give the Panthers a 3-2 lead. Sophomore Jamie Kelling (Davenport, Iowa/West) added another pair of runs for the Panthers when she singled up the middle to plate Liz Adams (Marion, Iowa/Linn-Mar) and Dyann Peterson (Fort Dodge, Iowa/Fort Dodge).
Rogers led the Panthers by going 2-for-4 at the plate with her pair of RBI, while freshman right-hander Monica Wright (Morrison, Ill./Morrison) allowed just one earned run on four hits over 5 1/3 innings pitched to pick up the pitching win and move her season record to 5-9.
Angela Hartwig (6-1) took the loss for the Knights, who lost for just the second time this season (12-2 overall). UNI improved its season record to 8-16-1 heading into this weekend's three-game series with MVC foe Missouri State. Action gets underway beginning at noon Saturday at Panther Park.
NOTES
- Rogers' home run was her sixth of the season and pushed her RBI total to 24, both team-best marks. The senior also leads the Panthers in average (.352) and slugging percentage (.692) and is tied for the team lead in hits (25).
- Papesh's homer was the first of her collegiate career, which includes 23 starts at catcher in UNI's first 25 games. Three Panthers have now tallied their first home runs this season, with sophomore Stephanie Aguero and freshman Dyann Peterson hitting their first longballs against Northern Illinois earlier this season.
- Following the first meeting between the two teams since 1995, the Panthers now own a 49-3 lead in the all-time series with the Knights.
