AMES – Solo home runs by Daryn Lamprecht and Alexis Pupillo, plus a seventh inning RBI single would be the only Panther offense generated on Tuesday afternoon as UNI dropped an 8-3 non-conference contest to Iowa State at the Cyclone Sports Complex.
Battling cold and windy conditions in Ames, the Panthers struggled with four defensive errors, while the Cyclones racked up ten hits, including a pair of home runs in the bottom of the third inning.
Northern Iowa opened the afternoon by loading the bases in the first inning, but was unable to push any runs across home plate. The Cyclones capitalized in their first at bats of the day with Milaysia Ochoa reaching base on a fielding error and scoring on an Alesia Ranches single off the left field wall to give ISU a quick 1-0 lead. Iowa State struck again as Tiana Poole scored Ranches on a long single to left-center. Poole would tack on another run for the Cyclones on a failed pickoff attempt at second base later in the inning, allowing Poole to score for a 3-0 Iowa State advantage.
Lamprecht kicked off a key offensive inning for UNI in the third frame with a leadoff home run to right-center field off Iowa State starting pitcher Karlie Charles. Two batters later, Pupillo cleared the fence with an opposite field home run to left to cut ISU’s lead to one run. Iowa State would respond however as Angelina Allen went deep to right field with a solo blast before Ashley Minor doubled the Cyclone lead with a two-run shot to right-center following a single by Ranches, giving Iowa State a 6-2 lead.
Anna Wischnowski entered the pitching circle for the Panthers in the bottom of the third in relief of starter Samantha Heyer and held ISU scoreless in the fourth inning. The Cyclones would pad their lead as Carli Spelhaug reached base on an infield single, stole second base and scored following a Minor fly out and RBI single by McKenna Andrews. Olivia Wardlow would double to shallow center field, setting up an RBI double to left-center to bring home Andrews, extending ISU’s lead to 8-2.
Kara Maiers would enter the game for Wischnowski in the sixth inning and held the Cyclones to one base runner in her lone inning of work in the circle. Lamprecht provided a spark for the UNI offense with a two-out single in the seventh inning, scoring on an RBI single by Madison Parks, followed by a third straight hit in the frame by Pupillo.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
With Tuesday’s loss, UNI falls to 41-47-1 all-time against Iowa State. The loss also snaps a four-game winning streak for the road team in the series.
Samantha Heyer was charged with the loss in Tuesday’s game, falling to 7-5 on the season.
Daryn Lamprecht’s third inning home run was her third of the season and 23rd of her career. It was also her eighth run batted in this year.
Alexis Pupillo’s solo home run in the third inning was her 12th of the year and 28th RBI. With 28 career home runs at UNI, she is now tied with Jody Dean (1996-99), Courtney Dunker (2009-12) and Chelsea Ross (2014-16) for fourth on the program’s all-time home runs list.
Ava Smithson’s two singles on the day mark her first career multi-hit game.
UP NEXT
The Panthers return home to host Missouri State in a three-game conference series beginning with game one on Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. CT at Robinson-Dresser Sports Complex in Cedar Falls. Live coverage can be found on ESPN+
