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2026 SFT Madison Vrastil action shot
3
UNI UNI 12-12, 1-2 MVC
4
Winner Valparaiso VALPO 13-14, 2-4 MVC
UNI UNI
12-12, 1-2 MVC
3
Final
4
Valparaiso VALPO
13-14, 2-4 MVC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
UNI UNI 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 3 9 0
Valparaiso VALPO 0 0 3 1 0 0 X 4 8 0

W: Lopez, Azalya (5-3) L: Kelsey Endress (0-2)

13
Winner UNI UNI 13-12, 2-2 MVC
0
Valparaiso VALPO 13-15, 2-5 MVC
Winner
UNI UNI
13-12, 2-2 MVC
13
Final
0
Valparaiso VALPO
13-15, 2-5 MVC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E
UNI UNI 4 0 0 0 1 8 13 14 0
Valparaiso VALPO 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0

W: Anna Wischnowski (5-4) L: Lopez, Azalya (5-4)

Game Recap: Softball |

Beacons Take Opener, Split Saturday Twinbill with UNI

The Valpo softball team opened its 2026 home slate at the Valpo Softball Complex on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon by splitting a doubleheader with UNI. The Beacons limited the conference's top offensive team in a 4-3 win in the opener before the Panthers' bats got hot in a 13-0 decision in the nightcap.
 
How It Happened – Game One
  • UNI opened the scoring in the top of the second, as three singles combined for the game's first run.
  • The Beacons took advantage of free passes to get their offense going in the bottom of the third. Sophia Leitzen (Orfordville, Wis./Brodhead) and Madison Vrastil (Oak Forest, Ill./Andrew) drew consecutive four-pitch walks to start the inning, and Kayden Krug (Milford, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) followed with a hard-hit infield single to load the bases with nobody out.
  • Kim Rodas (San Bernardino, Calif./Cajon) delivered the first run with a groundout, plating Leitzen. Mack Gallagher (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East [MSU Moorhead]) then stepped in and delivered a gapper to left-center, giving the Beacons the lead as Vrastil and Krug scored to make it a 3-1 game.
  • UNI got one run back in the top of the fourth on a two-out solo homer, but Valpo got it right back in the bottom of the frame. Azalya Lopez (Corona, Calif./Eleanor Roosevelt [MSU Moorhead]) led off with a double to the right-center gap, and two batters later, Vrastil lined a shot to the fence in left-center to push the lead to 4-2.
  • A one-out triple, followed two batters later by a walk and a hit batter, loaded the bases for UNI in the fifth, but Lopez induced a grounder to short to keep the two-run lead.
  • A two-out solo homer in the top of the sixth brought the Panthers within 4-3. One inning later, a leadoff single put the potential tying run on base for UNI, and a two-out single brought that potential tying tally within 60 feet of the plate before a foul-out to Vrastil ended the Valpo win.
 
How It Happened – Game Two
  • The Beacon offense was held in check by UNI pitcher Anna Wischnowski in the nightcap, Valpo's first 11 batters were retired in order before Rodas drew a two-out walk in the fourth. The Beacons' first hit was a one-out single from Kaia Garnica (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central) in the fifth, while their only other baserunner came on a single by Vrastil in the seventh.
  • UNI scored all the runs it would need before any Valpo player grabbed a bat, pushing four across the plate on a pair of two-run homers in the top of the first. The Panthers added one run in the fifth before securing the run-rule decision with an eight-run sixth inning.
 
Inside the Games
  • Valpo's home opener Saturday came in its 27th game of the season, the third-most games the program has played before its home opener in program history.
  • The win over the Panthers in the opener was just the third in program history over UNI, while the three runs surrendered in the opener tied for the second-fewest given up to UNI by Valpo in 29 all-time meetings.
  • Vrastil continued to swing a hot bat Saturday, going 3-for-6 with a walk across the two games. She reached three times in the opener, including twice on doubles — giving her six two-baggers in the last six games after having just two in the season's first 22 games.
  • Gallagher's two-run double in the opener pushed her team-high RBI total to 27. While she extended her season-opening on-base streak with that base hit, an 0-for-2 nightcap snapped that streak at 27 straight games.
  • Garnica picked up a hit in both ballgames, going 2-for-4 with a walk on the day.
  • The duo of Sydney McDermott (Stout, Ohio/Portsmouth West) and Lopez in the circle limited the Panthers in the opener. McDermott went two times through the lineup, tossing 3.2 innings and giving up two runs, while Lopez took care of the final 3.1 innings and gave up just one run in earning her fifth win of the season.
  • The circle wasn't as kind to Lopez in the nightcap, as she started and surrendered the four first-inning runs as her record dropped to 5-4.
  • On a day where the wind was blowing out at a steady 15 MPH clip and facing the Valley's top offense, Kayla Purdy (Matthews, N.C./Porter Ridge) delivered the best performance of her young career. Purdy entered in relief after Lopez and tossed the next 3.2 innings — having entered the day with a career-long outing of two innings — while giving up just one run.
  • The Beacons played errorless softball across both contests Saturday, giving them three consecutive games without a miscue.
 
Next Up
Valpo (13-15, 2-5 MVC) completes the three-game series against the Panthers with a single contest Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.
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