CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The UNI Panthers scored two runs in the seventh inning to rally to knock off the Drake Bulldogs, 3-2, in Missouri Valley Conference softball action on Wednesday night at Robinson-Dresser Field.
Senior Hayley Nybo (Minnetonka, Minn.) put Drake (27-16, 16-5 MVC) up 2-0 in the sixth inning with her team-leading ninth home run of the season. Nybo's two-run home run off UNI (18-22, 12-7 MVC) is the 32nd in her career, which is just one away from equaling program leader, Elena Leon (2007-10), who connected for 33 home runs in her career.
The Panthers cut their deficit to 2-1 in the bottom half of the sixth with a solo blast from Kennedy Bailey.
Freshman Nicole Newman (Madison, Wis.) started in the circle for Drake. Newman pitched 6.2 innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits while striking out nine. However, she struggled with her command walking three Panthers and hitting two batters as her record drops to 11-4.
Newman got two quick outs before running into trouble against UNI. She then allowed a single and walked a batter before hitting a batter to load the bases. Senior Rebekah Schmidt (Cottage Grove, Minn.) relieved Newman, but she to ran into trouble as well. Schmidt hit the first batter she faced to allow the tying run in. Panthers pitcher Chelsea Ross was up next and she hit a swinging bunt back to Schmidt who threw the ball away from the catcher Ashlie Chambers (Ankeny, Iowa) to allow the winning run as the Bulldogs have dropped back-to-back games for the first time since late February.
The Bulldogs, who remain in first place in the MVC standing, will look to get back on the winning track as they travel to Bradley for three games from April 25-26.
