The Valpo softball team out-hit host UNI over the course of Sunday’s doubleheader, 21-19, but was unable to come away with a victory as the Valley weekend series came to an end, as the Panthers finished with 9-3 and 10-5 wins.

How It Happened – Game One

• Valpo jumped on top of the Panthers as junior Jaina Westphal (Waterford, Wis./Burlington) connected on a homer to lead off the top of the third.
• The Panthers scored four in the bottom of the third to take the lead for good, with the big blow a three-run homer from Emmy Wells with two outs.
• UNI added three runs in the fourth inning and one more in the fifth to push its lead to 8-1.
• Sophomore Lauren Kehlenbrink (Ballwin, Mo./Parkway South) hit a shot over the fence in left-center with one out in the top of the sixth for Valpo’s second run of the game.
• Junior Peyton Moeder (Shawnee, Kan./Mill Valley) knocked home another run later in the sixth with a two-out RBI single, plating pinch-runner Alexis Johnson (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central).
• The Panthers closed the scoring with a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth.

How It Happened – Game Two

• UNI opened the scoring with two runs apiece in the first and third innings.
• Valpo got on the board in the top of the fourth as sophomore Ryan Milkowski (Olathe, Kan./Olathe West) delivered a solo homer over the center-field fence.
• The Panthers scored two more runs in its half of the fourth to make the score 6-1.
• Valpo made it a three-run game once again in the top of the fifth thanks to freshman Ashlyn Betz (Alton, Ill./Alton), who connected on a two-run single to score senior Addi Burke (Mesquite, Texas/John Horn) and junior Taylor Herschbach (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) to make it a 6-3 game.
• UNI plated four runs in the bottom of the fifth.
• Valpo capped the scoring in its half of the sixth on a run-scoring single from Herschbach and a bases-loaded HBP to Betz.

Inside the Games

• The home runs by Westphal and Kehlenbrink in game one were the first of the season for both players. Westphal now owns seven career homers, while Kehlenbrink has hit three career round-trippers.
• Westphal’s homer was part of a 3-for-3 effort, as the junior led the way as Valpo matched its season high in the opener with 11 hits.
• Moeder joined Westphal with three hits in Sunday’s first game, while Herschbach picked up a pair of hits as well.
• Herschbach finished the day with multiple hits in both games, as she registered three hits in the nightcap to lead Valpo’s 10-hit effort.
• Freshman Regi Hecker (Lee’s Summit, Mo./Blue Springs South) recorded her second multi-hit game of the year as she tallied a pair of hits in the nightcap.
• Milkowski’s homer in the day’s second game was her second home run of the season.
• Betz made her first two career starts in the Brown and Gold Sunday, reaching base three times and delivering three RBIs.

Next Up

Valpo (5-21, 1-11 MVC) steps out of conference play for the final time this year with a mid-week game Wednesday at Northern Illinois.