March 18, 2006

Box Score

PANTHERS DROP TWO TO SALUKIS 12-0, 6-5

Carbondale, IL - The University of Northern Iowa softball team dropped its first two Missouri Valley Conference games to Southern Illinois, Friday. The Panthers lost the opener 12-0 in five innings and dropped a 6-5 heartbreaker in game two.

Senior starter Uju Ibekwe (South Holland, IL/Thornwood) was knocked out early in game one after allowing eight earned runs on five hits while walking six in 1.1 innings of work. Ibekwe's rocky start allowed the Salukis to take a commanding 9-0 lead after two innings and end the game after plating three more runs in the following two frames.

The Panthers managed just three hits off of Saluki ace and preseason All-MVC selection Cassidy Scoggins.

The Panthers fared much better in game two, taking SIU to the wire before falling in the seventh inning.

UNI jumped to an early 1-0 lead in the first when Rachael Rogers (Dubuque, IA/Wahlert) slammed her fifth home run of the season over the right field wall. UNI added four more in the third when Morgan Paulson (Fort Dodge, IA/Fort Dodge) served up a bases-loaded double to right field to score Nikki Ferden (Eldridge, IA/North Scott) and Jamie Kelling (Davenport IA/West). Stephanie Aguero (Muscatine, IA/Muscatine) cleared the bases with a two-run double to score Rogers and Paulson and put the Panthers up 5-0.

The Salukis came to life in the fifth, tagging Panther starter Monica Wright (Morrison, IL/Morrison) for four runs on five hits to pull within one run. SIU plated two with two outs in the seventh to take the 6-5 win.

Rogers led the offense with a perfect 2-2 showing. The senior added an RBI and two runs scored as well as a home run and two walks. Aguero continued her hot streak at the plate with a 3-3, two RBI showing, while Ferden and Kelling added two hits and a run scored apiece.

Wright duplicated her start against Missouri, starting strong early and running into trouble late. The freshman allowed just two hits in four shutout innings to start the contest, but surrendered four runs on five hits in the fifth. Wright allowed six earned runs on nine hits in 6.2 innings of work. She also walked one and struck out six in the loss.

The Panthers fall to 7-15-1 on the year, 0-2 in the MVC. SIU improves to 16-3 on the season, 2-0 in the MVC.

UNI finishes its three-game set with SIU tomorrow (March 19) with a game beginning at 12:00 noon.