UNI Softball Faces Illinois State in Pivotal MVC Series
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Normal — April 25, 2025 —
The UNI Panthers softball team will face Illinois State in a pivotal Missouri Valley Conference series. The panthers (26-16, 14-7 MVC) will play the Redbirds (19-26, 12-9 MVC) in a three-game series starting today in Normal, Illinois. This softball series comes after UNI’s recent loss to Iowa State.
UNI Softball Faces Illinois State in Pivotal MVC Series
The University of Northern Iowa (UNI) Panthers softball team (26-16, 14-7 MVC) is set to clash with longtime rival Illinois State (19-26, 12-9 MVC) in a crucial three-game Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) series. The series begins Friday, April 25, in Normal, Illinois, at Marian Kneer Softball Stadium.
Series Schedule
- Friday, April 25 | 5 p.m. CT
- Saturday, April 26 | 2 p.m. CT
- Sunday, April 27 | 12 p.m. CT
- Watch: ESPN+
Panthers Seek to Rebound
UNI aims to bounce back after a 6-2 defeat against in-state rival Iowa State University (ISU) [[1]]. Despite the loss, Skylar Benesh and Addison McElrath had multi-hit games, while McElrath and kylee Sanders drove in the runs.
Dominant Performance Against Southern Illinois
The Panthers are coming off a strong weekend against league-leader Southern Illinois University (SIU). Kate lappe had a dominant series, batting .625 with four home runs, six RBIs, and a 2.125 slugging percentage. Katelyn Callahan and Kylee Sanders also contributed with slugging percentages of 1.250 and 1.100, respectively. Anna Wischnowski secured both wins in the series, pitching 5.2 innings and allowing only three hits, with a 1.59 ERA.
MVC Weekly Honors
Lappe and freshman Drew Hinrichs earned MVC weekly honors for their performances. Lappe was named MVC Player of the Week for the second time this year and received D1Softball.com National Player of the Week recognition. Hinrichs was named MVC freshman of the Week for the first time.
Coach Jacobs’ Milestone
head coach Ryan Jacobs is in his 18th season. He became the program’s all-time winningest coach earlier this year and achieved his 500th career win during the Doc Halverson Classic, becoming the eighth coach in MVC history to reach this milestone.
Statistical Dominance
UNI leads the MVC in several statistical categories:
- Home runs (65)
- rbis (247)
- Runs per game (6.29)
- Slugging percentage (.504)
- On-base percentage (.399)
- Stolen bases (88)
The Panthers rank top-20 nationally in walks (8th with 203) and home runs per game (11th with 1.55).
Key Players
- Kylee Sanders: Leads the Valley in batting average (.425),hits (57),and assists (113),and ranks third nationally in assists per game (2.76).
- Skylar Benesh: Leads the MVC in stolen bases (20), just four shy of the UNI single-season record.
- Kate Lappe: Leads the MVC in home runs per game (0.34), on-base percentage (.533), slugging (.867), and total bases (104). Her 14 home runs are close to the program record of 22.
Conference Powerhouse
UNI aims to continue its streak of top-three MVC finishes, having maintained a.500 or better conference record in the last five full seasons. The Panthers have a 116-33 record in Valley play during this time. Coach Jacobs is approaching another milestone, needing seven league wins to enter the MVC’s all-time top five in conference victories.
Quotes
UNI is looking to bounce back from a 6-2 loss to in-state rival Iowa State on Tuesday.
UNI Athletics
Junior slugger Kate Lappe put together one of the most dominant series performances of the season
, according to UNI Athletics.
FAQ
- Where is the series being played?
- Marian Kneer Softball Stadium in Normal, Illinois.
- How can I watch the games?
- The games will be broadcast on ESPN+.
- What is UNI’s conference record?
- 14-7 in the MVC.
