April 21, 2006
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
PEORIA, Ill. - The University of Northern Iowa softball team fell by a single run to Bradley twice on Thursday, losing 4-3 and 2-1 in a Missouri Valley Conference doubleheader at Laura Bradley Park.
A three-run seventh inning was enough to keep UNI alive in the opener of the twinbill, but it wasn't enough for the Panthers to emerge with a victory. The Panthers put together a three-run rally in the top of the seventh to force extra innings, but the Braves took a 4-3 win on a walk-off home run in the 10th.
Emily Bergeson broke up three innings of no-hit pitching by UNI starter Monica Wright (Morrison, Ill./Morrison) to give the Braves their first baserunner in the fourth, doubling down the left field line to lead off the frame. She advanced to third on a ground ball and then put up Bradley's first marker when she crossed the plate on an RBI single by Trish Kowalewski.
Rachael Rogers (Dubuque, Iowa/Wahlert) led off the sixth inning with a triple, but the Panthers were unable to push a run across. Bradley followed with a leadoff single by Bethany Till to open the bottom of the frame and, after Bergeson advanced Till with a sacrifice bunt, Molly Bergeson drew a one-out walk. Kowalewski then reached on a fielder's choice when the Panthers put Till out at third, and both Kowalewski and Molly Bergeson scored on a double to the gap by Joanna Pettit to push the Braves' lead to 3-0.
Stefaney Shalla (Kalona, Iowa/Mid-Prairie) led off the top of the seventh with a double off the left field fence and later scored the Panthers' first run when Papesh put a ball in play and reached on an error. After a pair of strikeouts, Rogers then drew a walk to give UNI runners on first and second. Jamie Kelling (Davenport, Iowa/West) stepped up with a fly ball that was dropped in left field, allowing Rogers and Uju Ibekwe (South Holland, Ill./Thornwood), pinch-running for Papesh, to score and knot the game at 3-3.
Both squads threatened once in the extra frames, but each failed to push a run across and the score remained tied at 3-3 into the bottom of the 10th inning. That's when Molly Bergeson, with two outs on the board, ended the epic contest with a home run to right-center field.
Wright took the loss for UNI despite throwing 9 2/3 innings and allowing nine hits. Wright's record fell to 6-17 on the season, while Ashley Birdsong picked up the win after pitching just 2/3 of an inning.
The Braves jumped on the board in the third inning of game two, with Ramsey scoring on a single by Emily Bergeson. A second run came in the fourth, as Pettit scored on a single by Elizabeth Wilson.
Shalla broke up a Birdsong no-hitter with a single to lead off UNI's half of the fifth, advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ruzicka to set up the Panthers' first run. Mandy Kumamoto (Torrance, Calif./West) halved the Braves' lead with a two-out single up the middle to plate Shalla.
The Panthers looked poised to add to their tally in the sixth, with Kelling stroking a leadoff single and moving to second on a bunt single by Ferden. A fielding error allowed Stephanie Aguero (Muscatine, Iowa/Muscatine) to take first and loaded the bases for UNI with one out on the board. Birdsong found her way out of the jam, however, working back-to-back strikeouts.
Despite holding the Braves to a pair of runs on eight hits over six innings in the circle, Ibekwe (5-13) was saddled with the loss, while Birdsong (13-8) picked up her second win of the day. Kumamoto led the Panthers at the plate by going 2-for-3 with an RBI.
The Panthers (11-31-1, 1-15 MVC) continue their final conference road swing of the season with three games this weekend against Indiana State. Games begin Saturday and Sunday at noon in Terre Haute, Ind.
NOTES
- The Panthers turned a pair of double plays in the opening game of Thursday's doubleheader to push their total number of twin killings to 21 for the season. UNI entered the week as one of the nation's top-10 teams in terms of double plays per game and is averaging .49 per contest.
- After falling twice by a single run to Bradley on Thursday, the Panthers have suffered 10 one-run losses this season.
