EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Brooke Voss' grand slam in the first inning of game two helped the University of Evansville softball team split Friday's doubleheader against Northern Iowa. After the Panthers opened with a 5-2 win, the Purple Aces took game two by a score of 10-7.
 
Game 1 - UNI 5, UE 2
A 3-run third inning saw UNI take the early lead before finishing with a 5-2 victory in the doubleheader opener.
 
Both teams had early scoring opportunities as the Panthers stranded two runners in the top of the first with Kate Ridgway striking out two batters. Ridgway pitched out of another jam in the top half of the second when UNI hit a leadoff double and loaded the bases with two outs. A bunt single by Taylor Howe was followed by a Niki Bode double that put two runners in scoring position with one out before the Panthers were able to avoid any damage. Angela Valentine recorded a 2-out hit in the bottom of the second.
 
In the top of the third, UNI broke through when Ava Smithson hit a 3-run home run. The Panthers continued to roll in the inning as they loaded the bases with no outs. Ashtyn Holbrook made a huge defensive play to keep it a 3-0 game. She threw a runner out at home on a fly ball to right field as the Aces got out of the inning trailing by just three runs.
 
Howe's double off the left field wall brought in Angela Valentine for UE's first score of the afternoon in the top of the fifth. Northern Iowa quickly responded with two runs in the 6^th to go up by a score of 5-1. Jess Willsey hit a solo home run in the top of the 7^th before UNI finished with the 5-2 win. Anna Wischnowski allowed two runs on five hits while throwing the full game for the Panthers.
 
Ridgway went three innings and allowed three runs. Gracie Hollingsworth and Sophia Otten threw two frames apiece. Howe recorded two of the Aces' five hits.
 
Game 2 – UE 10, UNI 7
An 8-run first inning lifted the Purple Aces to a 10-7 victory to split Friday's doubleheader.
 
UNI capitalized on the momentum from the game one victory as Skylar Benesh hit a leadoff home run to give them the early 1-0 lead. Evansville quickly turned the tides. Singles by Brooke Voss and Maliyah Wilkins along with a Niki Bode walk loaded the bases with one out. Eliza Piggott was hit by a pitch to tie the score at 1-1.
 
With two outs, Ashtyn Holbrook, Angela Valentine, and Emma McDonald each drew bases loaded walks to make it a 4-1 game. That brought Voss to the plate with the bases loaded and the junior drove the first pitch she saw over the left field wall to cap off an 8-run inning. Looking to chip away, the Panthers loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the second before Alexis Tucker ended the threat with a strikeout.
 
UE was not as lucky in the top of the third as a 3-run home run y Drew Hinrichs cut the advantage down to four runs. The looked to get even closer in the 4^th before Angela Valentine's huge defensive play ended the inning after UNI had two runners on.
 
Evansville got back to work in the bottom of the 4^th with Taylor Howe registering a leadoff single before scoring on a Bode triple. Maliyah Wilkins followed with a single up the middle to bring in Bode for the Aces' 10^th run of the game. Those insurance runs proved to be important when a 3-run homer by Skylar Benesh cut the lead in half (10-7) in the top of the 5^th.
 
Gracie Hollingsworth was stellar in the late innings to seal the win. She retired all seven batters she faced to shut down the Panthers on the way to her first save of the season. In the 7^th, Hollingsworth forced three fly outs to second base to tie the series with the 10-7 win. Tucker went three innings allowing four runs. Elle Jarrett threw 1 2/3 frames with three runs, two earned crossing the plate. She earned her first win of the season.
 
While Voss' grand slam was the highlight for the offense, Maliyah Wilkins was a perfect 4-for-4 while Voss and Bode score two runs apiece. The rubber match is set for Saturday at 11 a.m.