The Valpo softball team held a potent UNI offense at bay through four innings Friday evening as it opened the final weekend of the regular season, but a pair of home runs propelled the host Panthers to a 4-1 victory.
 
How It Happened

• The game was scoreless through four innings thanks to a defensive gem from freshman center fielder Marissa Jackson (Willis, Mich./Huron). With one on and one out in the bottom of the second, UNI's Katelyn Callahan lifted a fly ball to deep center field. Jackson made her way back to the fence and timed her leap perfectly, reaching over the fence and turning a potential two-run homer into an out.
• Valpo's best chance at taking the lead came in the second, when Azalya Lopez (Corona, Calif./Eleanor Roosevelt [MSU Moorhead]) and Lyna Vasquez (Moreno Valley, Calif./Valley View) drew walks to put a runner in scoring position before a strikeout ended the frame.
• Kayden Krug (Milford, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) got into the web gem fun in the bottom of the fourth, laying out to snag a short infield bloop liner for the first out of the frame.
• The Panthers broke through in the bottom of the fifth as Addison McElrath connected on a three-run homer with a full count and two outs.
• After going five innings without a hit, the Beacons got the line moving in the sixth with back-to-back infield singles to lead off the frame from Madison Vrastil (Oak Forest, Ill./Andrew) and Jackson. With two outs, Krug looped a ball into shallow center to plate Vrastil to make it a 3-1 game, but the Beacons were unable to add any more to their ledger.
• UNI's Kate Lappe got the run back in the bottom of the sixth with a first-pitch leadoff homer.
• Down three entering the seventh inning, Valpo had one more rally in it, loading the bases with one out. The Panthers were able to get the second out on a force at home, and then with the potential go-ahead run at the plate, a pickoff ended the game.

 
Inside the Game

• Valpo limited a UNI offense which entered the game averaging a conference-best 8.1 runs/game in MVC play to just four runs.
• Vrastil reached base twice on Friday out of the leadoff spot, tallying a single and recording a walk.
• Vrastil now owns 56 hits on the year, two shy of the program's single-season top-10. She also increased her team-best run total to 28.
• Krug's RBI was her 18^th of the campaign.
• Lopez fell to 10-12 on the year in the circle despite a strong start, holding the Panthers scoreless into the fifth.

 
Next Up
Valpo (20-27, 9-15 MVC) continues its series at UNI with a 2 p.m. first pitch on Saturday.