CARBONDALE, Ill. – No. 5 seed Indiana State took down the regular season MVC Champions and No. 1 seed UNI on Friday, blanking the Panthers 1-0 to advance to Saturday's title game at Charlotte West Stadium. This is the first time the Sycamores have advanced to the championship round since 2015.  
 
The only Valley team to defeat UNI this season, the Sycamores now have 32 wins which is a new program record for most wins in a season.
 
Indiana State will take on the winner of Friday's other semifinal game between No. 7 seed Belmont and No. 6 Southern Illinois. Saturday's first pitch is set for 2 p.m. ET.
 
The Action
Isabella Henning and Annie Tokarek had back-to-back two-out singles in the top of the first but UNI was able to get out of the inning without any damage. Lexi Benko sat the Panthers down in order in the bottom half while picking up a strikeout.
 
The Sycamores would score the game's lone run in the top of the second, executing a perfect squeeze play. Kaylee Barrett got a bunt down which allowed Cassie Thomerson to race home and score, putting Indiana State up 1-0. Benko picked up another strikeout in a scoreless bottom of the second.
 
An Olivia Patton singled would highlight the Sycamore top of the third as UNI made a diving play to rob Annie Tokarek of a hit to end the inning. The Panthers seemed to be in business in the third, loading the bases with just one out but a bizarre play gave ISU two outs to escape the inning. UNI's Maya Dodge hit a groundball that rolled back into fair play and Isabella Henning stepped on first and fired home to tag out the runner at the plate who had ran into Dodge because she didn't move from the batter's box.
 
The Sycamores went down in order in the fourth, bringing the Panthers up in the fourth. Benko got a groundout then gave up a single which forced Indiana State to go to their bullpen for Hailey Griffin. Griffin's first batter drove a ball to the gap in left center that was tracked down by Danielle Henning who then fired to first to turn an inning-ending double play.
 
Olivia Patton picked up another single in the fifth but that was all for the Trees in the frame. With two on and two out in the bottom half, Lauren Sackett would come into the circle for ISU. Sackett walked her first batter but would strike out MVC Player of the Year Mya Dodge to leave the bases loaded and end the inning.
 
After the Sycamores went down in order in the sixth, Sackett worked a scoreless sixth, stranded a runner on second with two-straight pop ups.
 
TeAnn Bringle singled with one out in the top of the seventh but the Sycamores couldn't get anything else going, sending the ballgame to the bottom of the seventh.
UNI drew a one-out walk but Lauren Sackett got a fly out and a foul out to seal the game and send the Sycamores to the MVC Softball Championship.
 
For the latest information on Sycamore Softball, be sure to visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.