Aces win in nine innings
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – With one out in a 3-3 game in the bottom of the ninth, Alyssa Barela launched a 3-run walk-off home run to give the University of Evansville softball team a 6-3 victory over UNI on Sunday at Cooper Stadium.
UE (18-10, 3-3 MVC) scored three runs in the first before Northern Iowa (13-11, 5-1 MVC) tied it with two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth. Pitchers Izzy Vetter and Kailyn Packard took over at that point, keeping the opposition scoreless until Barela’s homer in the ninth. Alexa Davis recorded two of the six UE hits and scored twice.
It was a quick start for the Purple Aces, who scored three times in the first. Jessica Fehr led off with a walk before advancing to third on a double by Marah Wood. Fehr scored the first run of the game on a wild pitch before Wood stole home on a double steal with Alexa Davis, who reached on a walk. Davis made it 3-0 when she scored on a passed ball. Originally called out, the call was overturned.
Northern Iowa chipped away at the lead, scoring two runs in the fourth on a Taylor Hogan double. They tied the game at 3-3 in the fifth when Kamryn Shaffer hit a solo home run to left. Both pitchers came up big for their respective squads over the next three innings. Evansville put its first two runners on in the sixth before coming up empty while the Panthers stranded a pair in the top half of the seventh.
UNI led the 9th off with a single and had two runners in scoring position before Vetter recorded her sixth strikeout of the afternoon to send it to the bottom of the ninth. Alexa Davis led the inning off with a double before a sacrifice bunt by Hannah Hood advanced her to third. Sydney Weatherford reached on a fielder’s choice and proceeded to steal second to bring up Barela with one out. Barela took the second pitch that she saw and sent it over the right field wall to clinch the victory. It was her second home run of 2022.
Both pitchers threw the entire game. Vetter earned her 13th win of the year, allowing three runs on seven hits in nine frames. Packard threw 8 1/3 innings and fanned 12 batters.
Evansville takes to the road next weekend for a 3-game set at Loyola.
