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March 24, 2007

Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

DES MOINES, Iowa - The University of Northern Iowa softball team bounced back from a 6-4 loss to Drake in the opening game of Saturday's doubleheader with a 5-2 win in the nightcap to secure its first Missouri Valley Conference victory of the season.

The Panthers (13-15 overall, 1-4 MVC) rode an outstanding effort in the pitching circle by Ashley Lepley (Albia, Iowa/Albia), who scattered seven hits and allowed just two earned runs.  Freshman Jen Larsen (Moline, Ill./Moline) then provided 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to secure the win.

Lepley combined to toss 11 innings in Saturday's doubleheader, allowing just four earned runs over that span.

At the plate, the Panthers were led by freshman Megan Machovec's 2-for-4 effort that included a pair of runs batted in.  Rachel Gerking (Spirit Lake, Iowa/Spirit Lake) went 2-for-3 with three runs scored.

Machovec (DeWitt, Iowa/Central) broke the teams' scoreless tie in the top of the fourth, capitalizing with runners at second and third by looping a single into right-center field for her first career RBI.  The hit drove in Gerking, who led off the inning with a single, and Lepley, who earned a walk, to put the Panthers up 2-0.

UNI picked up another run in the top of the fifth, when Larsen, who walked, was allowed to cross on a Bulldog error on a ball put in play by Gerking.  Drake miscues led to the Panthers' fourth run, as well, with Gerking advancing to second, third and eventually home on three wild pitches by Mandy Osborn, who allowed three walks in the frame.

The Bulldogs put up their first run in the bottom of the fifth, as Jaci Faidley, who led off with a single, scored on an RBI groundout by Osborn.  Drake looked poised to further cut into the Panthers' lead, but Lepley induced a groundout and the Bulldogs left the bases loaded.

Drake picked up another run in the sixth to cut UNI's lead to 4-2, with Cassie Heller drawing a bases-loaded walk to push Kristin Birocci across. Larsen, pitching in relief of Lepley, then quelled the Bulldog threat by recording consecutive outs.

The Panthers answered with some insurance in the top of the seventh, loading the bases with one out.  Gerking led off with a single and Link drew a walk before Machovec legged out a bunt single to pack the sacks.  An RBI groundout by Kumamoto plated Gerking and pushed UNI's lead to 5-2 heading into the final half-inning.

Larsen then slammed the door by retiring the Bulldogs in order in the bottom of the frame.

The Panthers scored their first conference win despite leaving 12 runners on base in the game, while Drake stranded eight.  The teams combined to maroon 36 baserunners in Saturday's two games.

GAME ONE

A late rally by the Panthers in Saturday's opener was not enough to overcome the early scoring barrage put up by Drake, as the Bulldogs handed the Panthers a 6-4 setback.

Trailing 6-1, the Panthers began their rally in earnest in the sixth, with Gerking stroking a double to lead off the frame, Lepley following with a walk and Kelly Papesh (Minooka, Ill./Minooka) then loading the bases with a single following a 13-pitch at-bat.

Whitney Link (Ankeny, Iowa/Des Moines East) followed with a fielder's choice that plated Gerking, and Mandy Kumamoto (Torrance, Calif./West) then drove a single through the right side of the infield to bring in Lepley and Papesh and cut Drake's lead to 6-4.

The Bulldogs responded by loading the bases in the bottom of the frame with three consecutive infield singles, but UNI escaped thanks to some solid defense.  Link and Lepley each recorded assists by fielding consecutive grounders and firing to Papesh for a force out at home, and Lepley then snagged a comeback line drive for the third out, leaving the bases full of Bulldogs.

The Panthers were unable to rally in the seventh, however, and the Bulldogs secured their first Missouri Valley Conference win of the season.  Cassie Heller picked up the pitching victory to improve to 6-10 on the year, while starter Larsen dropped to 7-8 with the loss for UNI.

The Bulldogs jumped on the board early, stringing together four consecutive hits to open the bottom of the first.  A double by Susan Slycord gave Drake a 1-0 lead, driving in leadoff hitter Lindsay Larry.  Emily Hajduk followed with a single down the right-field line to plate Jenna Wilkin and Sylcord and push the Bulldogs' advantage to 3-0.

After Kristin Birocci sacrificed Hajduk to second, Jaci Faidley brought her home with a double - the Bulldogs' fifth hit of the inning - that bumped the hosts' advantage to 4-0.

Hajduk added to the Bulldog lead in the bottom of the third, blasting a leadoff homer to left on the first pitch she saw from Lepley, who entered in relief of Larsen in the first.

Papesh finally put the Panthers on the board in the top of the fourth, working her at-bat against Drake's Cassie Heller and then driving a one-out solo home run to right-center field.  The blast, Papesh's third of the season, made it 5-1 Drake.

The sophomore catcher finished the game 3-for-3 with two runs scored and another driven in to lead UNI's offense, while Kumamoto went 2-for-4 and tallied two RBI.

The Bulldogs added another tally in the fourth as Marilyn Buss, who led off the frame with a single, scored on an RBI groundout by Wilkin.

The Panthers wrap up their weekend series with Drake on Sunday, with a single game set for noon at Buel Field.