Feb. 10, 2008

Final Stats

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - Back-to-back home runs by Megan Machovec and Stephanie Aguero were enough for the University of Northern Iowa softball team to close out the Ramada UNI-Dome Classic on a winning note, as the Panthers took a 3-0 victory over North Dakota on Sunday.

Sophomore pitcher Sarah Bakey (West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley) went the distance for UNI in the circle, tossing the first complete-game shutout of her career. She allowed just three hits to a North Dakota team that in its previous game had scored 14 runs on 14 hits, while also recording eight strikeouts.

Machovec's inside-the-park homer was the first round-tripper of the sophomore's career and plated a pair of runs to break the teams' scoreless deadlock in the bottom of the third inning. Aguero then followed with a powerful blast to right-center field that landed 10 rows deep in the UNI-Dome bleachers.

Neither team managed to push a run across the rest of the way as Bakey and North Dakota's Michele Wolf and Karli Fisher dueled to the finish.

The Panthers were held to five hits, but Heather Tarter (Fairbury, Ill./Prairie Central) managed to go 2-for-2 with a run scored. 

UNI's 3-1 start marks the Panthers' best start to a season since the 2005 squad opened the year 3-1, as well.

UNI will hit the road for more indoor competition next weekend in Minnesota's Metrodome Classic. The Panthers will open the tournament on Thursday, Feb. 14 against Tennessee Tech.