No. 3 Missouri Tigers top UNI 3-0

The University of Northern Iowa softball team struggled offensively Wednesday suffering a 3-0 shutout loss against the No. 3 ranked Missouri Tigers. The Tigers extended their winning streak to 11 games while the slumping Panthers (9-7) have lost six of their last seven games since starting the season with an 8-1 record.

Wednesday, UNI continued its recent slump in the batter’s box, managing only two hits for the game. Jen Larsen and Hannah Borschel both hit singles contributing for all of the Panthers’ total offense.

Taking the loss from the pitcher’s circle was Melissa Tillett who gave up four hits and two earned runs in one inning. With the loss, Tillett fell to 2-5 on the year for the Panthers. Jaye Hutcheson came in on relief for UNI in the second inning and pitched well, giving up one earned run in five innings.

The Tigers jumped on the Panthers early, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning by way of a leadoff double from Rhea Taylor and a home run by Nicole Hudson to straightaway center field.

The Tigers struck last in the bottom of the fifth when Marla Schweisberger hit a solo home run off of Hutcheson for the final run of the afternoon.

Despite struggling from the plate, the Panthers are still leading the Missouri Valley Conference in four offensive categories with a team .284 batting average, .459 slugging percentage, .378 on-base percentage and 16 home runs. Individually Jen Larsen ranks fifth in the conference with a .432 batting average and is also closing in on the all-time UNI career home run record, needing three more to tie the all-time mark of 29 set by Jody Dean.

Northern Iowa will look to end their losing streak this weekend as they travel to Norman, Okla., for a four-game set against Utah and No. 12 Oklahoma in the Oklahoma Spring Festival.