The Panther softball team kicked off Missouri Valley play with two away series, each consisting of three games. Last week saw UNI grab a 2-1 start against the Missouri State University Bears (MSU), which was followed up this weekend by a 1-2 finish against Indiana State. These games boosted UNI’s record to 15-13 and gave them top five standing in the Valley.

The first game against the Bears started poorly for the Panthers, as UNI was blanked and lost 0-6. However, the second game turned around for UNI who won 6-2. Back-to-back homers put UNI up by two early thanks to seniors Anna Varriano and Alyssa Buchanan. Varriano helped put two across in the sixth to maintain UNI’s lead.

The third game of the series ended in extra innings. Down one in the third, junior Brittney Roby hit a sacrifice bunt that scored sophomore Courtney Krodinger. Freshman Jaci Spencer gave UNI a brief lead as she hit a solo shot in the next inning, but MSU answered with their own long ball in the sixth. The two teams were headed into the eighth tied 2-2. The last inning was underwhelming as sophomore Brittney Krodinger scored on a wild pitch. MSU was not able to muster more than a single in the extra inning.

This weekend, their first game against the Indiana State Sycamores (ISU) saw UNI squander a two-run lead in the seventh. The Sycamores game-tying play came courtesy of a UNI error. UNI was unable to score and lost 5-4 in the ninth.

The second game against Indiana State was decided by the fifth, as neither team scored after that inning. UNI was able to come back down one in the third as freshman Ashley Chesser hit a double to score two.

Chesser was brought home on the next play by sophomore Bailey Lang’s triple. ISU drew even in the bottom half of the third thanks to two UNI errors. Chesser ended up shining once more as she was the game winner in UNI’s 4-3 victory.

The Panthers finished the weekend on Sunday against Indiana State with a 6-5 loss that finished their series at 1-2. Lange homered to center field and had two RBIs in the fifth inning to put UNI ahead 2-0. UNI took a 5-0 lead in the seventh inning after a homerun from Sammey Bunch and two runs were earned after an error by ISU’s short stop.

It was also in the bottom of the seventh inning that Indiana State scored six runs and would beat the Panthers 6-5.

UNI’s next game comes Wednesday in Ames at Iowa State University for just one game. The Lady Panthers will return to Cedar Falls this Saturday and Sunday for the first time since February to play Evansville.