SIU drops doubleheader at UNI

Saturday, March 28

Cedar Falls, Iowa

3:30 PM

Southern Illinois University

11-13-1, 0

Northern Iowa

11-16, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Southern Illinois	0	0	0	1	0	1	2	1
UNI	0	5	1	0	3	9	8	0

03/28/2015 | 12:00:00 | Softball

Box Score

March 28, 2015

By John Lock
SIUSalukis.com

G1 Box | G2 Box

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The Southern Illinois softball team lost both ends of a doubleheader at Northern Iowa on Saturday afternoon. The Panthers (11-16, 5-2 MVC) run-ruled SIU in both games, winning the first 8-0 in six innings before taking the finaled 9-1 in five.

Playing in temperatures in the low 40s, Southern Illinois (11-13-1, 6-2 MVC) didn't look like the same team that started Missouri Valley Conference play 6-0. The Salukis came into the day leading the league in batting average in league games after two series at .345 but managed just two hits against the Panthers.

UNI pitcher Chelsea Ross, who earned MVC Pitcher of the Week honors after a five-inning no-hitter last weekend, pitched a six-inning no-no against SIU in the opener. Despite the no-hitter, Southern had opportunities throughout the game. SIU left seven runners on base in the opener.

In the first inning, Kelsey Gonzalez reached on a dropped fly ball and was bunted to third base by Kalyn Harker, but Ross struck out the next two to get out of the jam. Again in the second inning, SIU put a runner in scoring position with one out, but Ross got two more strikeouts to end the threat. Then, Southern got two walks to lead off the fourth and eventually loaded the bases with two outs, but Ross got out of the jam again.

SIU was in the game as late as the fifth inning. UNI showed offense throughout the game, but starter Katie Bertelsen (9-6) held the Panthers to a single run in the first, second and fourth innings. In the fifth, UNI put together its big inning. After leadoff ground out, six of UNI's next seven hitters reached and four scored. Rikki Alcaraz led off the sixth with a home run to complete the run-rule win.

In game two, Gonzelez led off with a single, but SIU managed just one hit the rest of the way. UNI had a five-hit, five-run second inning to get an early lead. In the game, the Panthers took advantage of five walks to extend the lead. Merri Anne Patterson, who homered for the fourth time in the last six games, put SIU on the scoreboard, but UNI hit a game-ending sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth to put away the win.

SIU has lost three-straight games after a six-game winning streak put SIU over the .500 mark for the first time this season. UNI extended its winning streak over SIU to seven games, dating back to the MVC Tournament in 2012. SIU hasn't won in Cedar Falls since 2011.

SIU was also run-ruled in both games of a doubleheader last season against Illinois State, and that squad rebounded to win the series finale and 10 of its next 12 MVC games.

UP NEXT: SIU and UNI will play a series finale at Noon CT tomorrow.