Box Score A four-run first inning was too much for the Valpo softball team to overcome on Saturday afternoon in Cedar Falls, Iowa, as the host Panthers went on to a 6-1 win.
 
How It Happened

• A two-run homer by Kylee Sanders was followed later in the frame by a two-run, two-out single to give UNI a 4-0 lead after the opening inning.
• Valpo got one of those runs back in its next turn at the plate. Azalya Lopez (Corona, Calif./Eleanor Roosevelt [MSU Moorhead]), Kayden Krug (Milford, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) and Kim Rodas (San Bernardino, Calif./Cajon) strung together three straight singles to lead off the inning. Kaia Garnica (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central) brought home Lopez with an infield grounder, but the Beacons were unable to plate more than the single run.
• A two-run double in the bottom of the fourth extended the Panthers' advantage to 6-1, which would be the final margin.

 
Inside the Game

• Krug recorded a pair of hits, her ninth multi-hit game of the season.
• Lopez reached base twice as well, drawing a walk in addition to her base hit.
• Garnica's second-inning RBI was her 11^th of the campaign.
• Sydney McDermott (Stout, Ohio/Portsmouth West) started in the circle and took the loss to fall to 4-10 on the year as she tossed the first four innings.
• Erin Metz (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) pitched two shutout innings of relief to close things out.

 
Next Up
Valpo (20-28, 9-16 MVC) closes out the regular season with the series finale against the Panthers Sunday afternoon at noon.