The Northern Iowa Softball team kicked the weekend off with a pair of wins at the Louisiana Tech Classic. The first game saw UNI deftly handle Grambling State University 4-1. They then continued to roll on against Sam Houston State, 6-2.

The first game saw a complete team effort on both sides of the plate as freshman Jaci Spencer struck out three straight batters after the first batter reached on an error. UNI would manage to score in the first inning with thanks to senior Macey Wolfe’s RBI, which was preceded by junior Brittney Roby’s triple. In the third a Roby sac-fly put sophomore Brittney Krodinger across to the next base.

Spencer not only had 12 strikeouts on the day, but also an RBI that got freshman Sammy Bunch home. Krodinger got the last Panther run in the fifth after she reached first on a wild pitch. A steal and an error later, she was home.

The second game saw UNI score in two innings. Down one in the second Wolfe managed a double that brought in both Bunch and Krodinger. Senior Alyssa Buchanan, who was the starting pitch had an RBI single to score Roby from third.

Wolfe score in the fifth after sophomore Bailey Lange was walked. Buchanan was brought home after a single by senior Anna Varriano. Lange then reached home after Krodinger was hit by a pitch.

On Saturday afternoon,  the Panthers lost to Sam Houston State, 2-1, followed by another loss to Louisiana Tech, 8-0.

UNI’s lone run in the second game against Sam Houston State (SHSU) came in the third. Wolfe managed to score Courtney Krodinger. It looked like one would be enough until SHSU scored two on one single in the top of the sixth to eventually win.

The game against Tech started close, as UNI was only down one run until the fourth inning. Tech then singled and got some helpful errors to help them score three runs.

In the fifth inning, an error and a single ripped UNI for another three runs. Finally, an error in the sixth inning saw Tech earn their eighth run; the mercy rule was then enforced for the Panthers, the final score was 8-0.

In their last game against McNeese State (MCN) on Sunday, the Panthers would finish the tournament 2-3 after they fell to the Cowboys, 6-2.

It was a slow scoring game. MCN took an early lead in the third inning and UNI did not tie the score until the fifth when Lange hit a homerun into deep right field.

MCN opened the top of the seventh by scoring five runs off of a single, double and a homerun to top it off. Courtney Krodinger hit a homerun during her final at bat of the game, but the Cowboys would earn their victory as they made the final out of the contest.