The UNI Panthers softball team hosted three games against the Bradley Braves this weekend.

The double header was split on Saturday as the Panthers won the first game 5-1 but dropped the second 3-7.

Pitcher Chelsea Ross started off really strong as she struck out all three batters in the first inning. Ross finished the game with 10 strikeouts. The game was scoreless until the third when UNI’s Rikki Alcaraz hit a double to bring Caitlin Wnek home.

Kristin Lock added to the lead with a three run homer in the fifth inning to make the lead 4-0 in favor of the Panthers. Samantha Olson hit Macey Wolfe in on a single in the sixth to add some more breathing room. The Braves were able to finally score at the top of the seventh, but it was far too late. The Panthers came out on top 5-1.

The Panthers started the second game early as Kennedy Bailey hit in Alcaraz in the first inning to gain the 1-0 lead. The Braves ended their scoreless spell in the fourth inning with four runs on five hits. They were not done as they added three more runs in the sixth to extend their lead to 7-1.

Wnek and Anna Varriano scored in the sixth inning to gain some momentum before the seventh, but it was not enough. The Panthers fell 3-7.

The third game was all Bradley. In the second inning, Bradley’s Shannon King hit a homer, sending her and Caitlyn McCarron home for a 2-0 lead. Errors began to plague UNI as they led to more runs for Bradley. One error contributed to two opposing runs in the fourth inning, and another allowed Bradley to score in the sixth inning.

UNI was in a rut as they were down 8-0 heading to the bottom of the sixth. Ross finally scored with a homer to bring her and Wolfe home. Their last chance was the seventh inning, but runs from Alcaraz and Lock were not enough. The Panthers fell 4-8.

The Panthers will travel in-state to Des Moines to play Drake on Tuesday.