The Valpo softball team dropped its series finale at UNI Saturday afternoon, 9-0. The victory clinched at least a share of the MVC regular season championship for the first-place Panthers.

How It Happened

• UNI scored a pair of runs in the top of the first before junior Caitlyn Kowalski (Temperance, Mich./Notre Dame Academy) pitched a scoreless second inning.
• Freshman Lyna Vasquez (Moreno Valley, Calif./Valley View) drew a four-pitch walk with two outs in the third for Valpo’s first baserunner of the game.
• The Panthers plated seven runs in the bottom of the third for the final margin.
• Junior Regi Hecker (Lee’s Summit, Mo./Blue Springs South) led off the fourth with a line-drive single to left center and eventually got herself into scoring position by stealing second, where she was stranded.
• Sophomore Kaiah Fenters (Speedway, Ind./Speedway) came out of the bullpen to deal a scoreless inning in the fourth.

Inside the Game

• Hecker’s hit continued her strong recent stretch at the plate, as she is now 10-for-22 over the last eight games.
• Hecker’s stolen base was her team-high fifth of the season.
• Vasquez has walked in exactly one quarter of her plate appearances this year, as the freshman now has 10 walks in 40 trips to the plate.

Next Up

Valpo (8-37, 4-20 MVC) returns home for its final series of the regular season next weekend, as the Beacons host Indiana State. The series opens Friday afternoon at 3 p.m.