April 8, 2006
Box Score
WICHITA, Kan. - Runs were hard to come by for the University of Northern Iowa softball team Saturday, as the Panthers dropped a Missouri Valley Conference doubleheader to Wichita State at Wilkins Stadium, 4-0 and 4-2.
Jamie Kelling (Davenport, Iowa/West) led things off in game two with a single but was put out at second when Nikki Ferden (Eldridge, Iowa/North Scott) reached on a fielder's choice. Freshman Morgan Paulson (Fort Dodge, Iowa/Fort Dodge) followed with a single and, two batters later, scored along with Ferden on a single by Stephanie Aguero (Muscatine, Iowa/Muscatine) to give UNI an early 2-0 advantage.
The Shockers answered with a run in the second when Jessica Laky, pinch-running following a Julie Darling single, scored on an RBI single by Stephanie De La Riva. Pitcher Britnee Barnett tied things up at 2-2 in the third inning with a double down the left field line to plate Brooke Usher, who had singled. Darling then stepped up and gave the Shockers a 3-2 lead with a single up the middle to bring Barnett across.
Ashley Lynn added the Shockers' fourth run in the bottom of the fifth, stroking a double down the left field line that scored Barnett, who also had doubled.
Freshman Monica Wright (5-13) suffered the loss for the Panthers, while Barnett picked up the win to move her record to 11-6.
Runs were more difficult to come by in the opener for UNI, with the Shockers holding the Panthers scoreless en route to a 4-0 win.
Three consecutive walks followed a leadoff single by Katie McGeeney to open the game, with Darling earning a free pass to push McGeeney across for the Shockers' first run of the game. Lynn then dropped a bloop single into center field to bring Usher across, and Erin Peters followed with a sacrifice fly to bring Britnee Barnett home. Ibekwe battled back, striking out Lisa Jones to get the Panthers out of a bases loaded situation and out of the inning.
Lynn added Wichita State's fourth run in the bottom of the third, driving a solo home run ball to field, but Ibekwe kept the Shockers in check over the final three frames. Unfortunately, the Panthers were unable to muster any offense in support of the effort in the circle. UNI failed to record a hit after the third inning.
Ibekwe (4-11) took the pitching loss, allowing four runs on six hits over six innings in the circle, while Pruis (15-7) picked up the complete-game shutout victory while recording eight strikeouts.
With the losses, UNI fell to 9-25-1 overall and 1-10 in MVC play, while Wichita State improved to 26-14, 8-5 MVC. The squads hook up in the finale of the weekend series on Sunday, with first pitch scheduled for noon at Wilkins Stadium.
NOTES
- UNI recorded three double plays in game two of Saturday's doubleheader and four twin killings on the day, giving the Panthers 17 for the year. The team had 18 double plays in all of 2005.
