April 22, 2006
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - One-run games were the order of the day again for the University of Northern Iowa softball team on Saturday, as the Panthers split a pair of 4-3, extra-inning decisions with Indiana State in a Missouri Valley Conference doubleheader at Price Field.
A solo home run in the top of the ninth inning powered the Panthers to a 4-3 victory over the Sycamores in nine innings in game one, while an Indiana State double in the bottom of the eighth was the difference in game two, a 4-3 Sycamore win.
After the Panthers dodged a bullet in the eighth inning of the opener, when the Sycamores placed a runner on third with one out, Kelly Papesh (Minooka, Ill./Minooka) came up with the winning run in the ninth. The freshman launched a solo home run to left field to lead off the inning and break a 3-all tie in favor of the Panthers. The victory is UNI's second win in 12 one-run contests this season.
The Panthers wasted no time putting a run on the board, with the heart of their order stringing together three consecutive two-out hits to give UNI a 1-0 lead. Morgan Paulson (Fort Dodge, Iowa/Fort Dodge) got things started with a hit up the middle, and Stephanie Aguero (Muscatine, Iowa/Muscatine) followed with another single to move Paulson to second. Stefaney Shalla (Kalona, Iowa/Mid-Prairie) loaded the bases with a hit through the right side, setting Paulson up to score on a passed ball.
Indiana State answered with a run in the bottom of the first, but freshman Brittany Ruzicka (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Jefferson) led off UNI's half of the second frame with a single and advanced to second on a fielder's choice by Mandy Kumamoto (Torrance, Calif./West). A sacrifice bunt by Rachael Rogers (Dubuque, Iowa/Wahlert) moved both runners up, and Ruzicka gave UNI a 2-1 lead when she scored on a bunt by Jamie Kelling (Davenport, Iowa/West).
After giving up an RBI single to Stephanie Spychaj in the first inning, UNI starter Monica Wright (Morrison, Ill./Morrison) retired 11 consecutive Sycamores, which included striking out the side in the second frame. Indiana State struck again in the bottom of the fifth, however, with pinch runner Margaret McQueen scoring on a sacrifice fly by Julie Damico to knot the score at 2-2.
Rogers put the Panthers out front again in the seventh, leading off the frame with a triple to left field and then scoring on a wild pitch. The Sycamores answered in the bottom of the inning, with Lauren Kebely - a pinch runner for Jessica McGivney, who singled - scoring on a sacrifice fly by Alyssa Duncan to send the game to extra innings with a 3-3 score.
Wright (7-17) earned the complete-game victory by allowing a single earned run on eight hits over nine innings in the circle, striking out four Sycamores without surrendering a walk.
Game 2
Indiana State struck first in the second game, with Jackie Chomicki scoring on a wild pitch in the first inning after singling, advancing to second on a wild pitch and moving to third on a groundout.
Neither team tallied another run until the Panthers came up big in the sixth, putting three markers on the board to take a 3-1 lead. Rogers led off with a single and Kelling drew a walk to start the rally, and Ferden followed with a bunt single to load the bases. Paulson then made the most of the RBI opportunity, driving in Rogers and Kelling with a double to right field. UNI's third run came when Shalla dropped a single into left field to plate Paulson. The Sycamores tallied a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh, however, to force extra innings for the second straight game.
Kelsey Anderson got Indiana State going in the eighth and Margaret McQueen, running for Anderson, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ashley Trover. That set an RBI chance for Yvette Tovar, who doubled to center field to bring McQueen across for the winning tally.
Ibekwe (5-14) was saddled with the loss after allowing three earned runs over 7 1/3 innings in the circle while striking out five and allowing no walks. Darcy Wood (16-12) picked up the win for Indiana State after being the losing pitcher in game one.
The Panthers (12-31-1, 2-15 MVC) conclude their final conference road swing of the season with a single game Sunday against the Sycamores. First pitch at Price Field is scheduled for 11 a.m.
NOTES
-The Panthers turned a double play on the sacrifice fly that evened the score in the bottom of the seventh inning of game one, pushing UNI's season total of twin killings to 22.
- Kelly Papesh's game-winning home run was her third longball of the season, tying her for the second-highest total among Panther players with Stefaney Shalla. Rachael Rogers' total of seven homers is best among UNI hitters.
- UNI has played in four straight one-run games, and three of the Panthers' past four outings have gone into extra innings. UNI dropped a 4-3 decision in 10 frames to Bradley on Thursday before Saturday's extra-inning contests. The Panthers are now 2-11 in one-run games this season and fell to 1-3 in extra-inning affairs.
