Softball defeats Northern Iowa for third straight win

By Dalton Ray–

After having two games canceled on day two, softball (15-7) held off a late rally from Northern Iowa (12-10) on day three of the Louisville Tournament. The 8-5 win gives Louisville their eighth win in the last nine games.

Senior Maryssa Becker (11-4) pitched her third game of the weekend and pitched all seven innings. Sitting down seven, the dual player upped her yearly total to 84 strikeouts. In her 11th complete game, Becker allowed four hits and three earned runs in the fifth inning.

In the bottom of the first inning, redshirt junior Nicole Pufahl reached on a fielder’s choice that scored senior Jordan McNary. Pufahl scored when junior Allison Szdlowski attempt to steal second base.

Becker started the second inning by striking out the side and Louisville tacked on another pair of runs in the bottom of the inning.

In the third, an error allowed UNI’s Courtney Krodinger to single and placed Jaci Spencer in scoring position. With runners on the corner and two outs, Becker got out of the jam with a ground-out.

In the bottom of the fourth, freshman Caitlin Ferguson recorded her second and third RBI of the game with a shot to left field. McNary’s RBI single pushed the Louisville lead to 7-0.

The Panthers got the best of Becker in the top of the fifth inning, loading the bases with one out. Brittany Krodinger double to left field brought home two runs. UNI scored another two runs before the end of the inning.

Junior Jamie Soles recorded her second RBI in the bottom of the fifth, making the score 8-4 Louisville.

In the top of the sixth, UNI’s Spencer recorded an RBI single to cut the lead to three.

In Northern Iowa’s final at-bat, Becker’s fatigue started to show as she allowed two runners on early. A fly-out to left field ended the comeback hopes for the Panthers.

U of L hosts Pittsburgh for a three-game series starting on March 17.