March 8, 2008

Boston College Box Score | Tennessee State Box Score

HAYWARD, Calif. - The University of Northern Iowa softball team struggled to connect at the plate today as they fell to Boston College 6-2, and Tennessee State 4-0 in the second day of the National Invitational Softball Tournament in Hayward, Calif. 

 

Boston College (9-11) took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first frame after Taylor Peyton stroked a double to left field that was followed by a Renee Ramos RBI single.

 

The Eagles pushed runs across in the third and fifth innings to put BC up 3-0 going into the top of the sixth.

 

UNI (10-8) came dangerously close in the sixth when Stephanie Aguero (Muscatine, Iowa/Muscatine) hit a single up the middle and then advanced to second on a passed ball. Rachel Gerking (Spirit Lake, Iowa/Spirit Lake) hit a RBI single up the middle and was sent home by Ashley Lepley's (Albia, Iowa/Albia) single, closing BC's lead to 3-2.

 

BC responded with three runs in the bottom of the sixth to widen the gap for the Panthers. UNI was unable to convert at the plate and BC took the win, 6-2.

 

Gerking, Aguero and Lepley each finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate, accounting for six of the Panthers' seven hits.

 

Sarah Bakey (West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley) took the loss for the Panthers in the circle, tossing six strikeouts in five innings.

 

vs. Tennessee State

 

The game stayed dead-locked at zero through four frames until Tennessee State put four runs on the board in the bottom of the fourth.  A three-run homer by Tamara Perkins and a single RBI were the only runs of the day for either team and the Tigers held on for the 4-0 win.

 

Pitching proved to be the difference maker as Tennessee State's Amanda Vaught tossed nine strikeouts in comparison to Lepley's three.

 

UNI will take on California tomorrow at 10 a.m.