The UNI softball team escaped the harsh Iowa winter and headed to Florida this past weekend, traveling to Jacksonville to participate in the Osprey/Dolphin Invitational.

 The Panthers finished 3-2 over the weekend, tallying a record of 6-4 on the season.

“Hopefully we’re in sun and we’re in some warmth and the excitement of that takes over the adjustment that we have to make because of the facility,” said head coach Ryan Jacobs. “I think the biggest adjustment is the hops. You get true hops on the turf where on dirt you just never know what rock or what foot-hole might be there and takes a bad hop on you.”

Prior to the weekend, Jacobs previewed the five-game slate saying, “I know they’re all going to be solid. I think it’s going to be very similar to what we just faced this last weekend.  It’s not going to be a bunch of power five teams. It’s going to be a lot of mid-major teams that are very competitive, have a lot of great players, and are very well-coached.”

The competitive action that Jacobs expected didn’t manifest until Saturday.

Friday’s double-header didn’t start off how the Panthers expected, being shut out 4-0 by the College of Charleston Cougars. 

UNI bounced back under the lights Friday night, defeating the Jacksonville University Dolphins 6-2. 

The close games picked up Saturday when UNI came back from a 5-1 deficit, getting revenge against the College of Charleston Cougars.

The comeback cats scored five runs in the top of the sixth to put them up 6-5.  

Freshman pitcher Erica Oler closed out the late rally, holding the Cougars scoreless in the two innings. Oler garnered the first win of her young career.

The Panthers came to play again Saturday afternoon against the University of North Florida. However, the Panthers weren’t able to overcome a 6-1 deficit, falling 8-7. 

The final ball game of the weekend ended in style with the Panthers taking revenge over North Florida, 7-0, with Brooke Craig earning the win and the shut out over the Ospreys. This was Craig’s second win of the year.

Up next, the Panthers escape the Iowa cold again, trekking south to Stillwater, Okla.

A six-game slate awaits March 1-3.  The cats will take on the University of Illinois, University of Tulsa, McNeese State, Oklahoma State University twice and Seattle University.