CARBONDALE, Ill. – The University of Northern Iowa softball team put together a seventh-inning rally against Illinois State on Friday afternoon, but could not push the game-tying run across as they fell to the Redbirds in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship Quarterfinals, 2-1. The Panthers (38-19) put together three hits in the bottom of the seventh inning to put pressure on the Redbirds, but left two runners stranded in scoring position.
Chelsea Ross was effective in the circle for UNI in an early pitchers' duel with ISU's Regan Romshek as she held the Redbirds hit-less for the opening 3.