Softball Season Comes to a Close with Tough 2-1 Loss in Opening Round

SIOUX CENTER, IA - The 2025 softball season came to an end Tuesday afternoon as UNOH get edged out by (RV) Friends 2-1 in Iowa.

The second game of the NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round was a pitcher's duel from start to finish. The two teams combined for just one hit over the the first three and a half innings producing only three total base runners. A wild pitch was responsible for the first run of the game going in favor of the Falcons in the home fourth. A two out double answered for the Racers in their next at bat but a two out error in the bottom of the fifth proved decisive, scoring the eventual game-winning run. UNOH put runners on the corners in the sixth but couldn't get the tying run across ending the year with a 2-1 loss in the program's second ever trip to the national tournament.

"We had our chances," lamented head coach Travis Owen after the game, "but margins are so thin when everyone is battling to survive in the tournament and we made a few mistakes that got us."

UNOH outhit the Falcons 5-2 and owned the only extra base hit of the game off the bat of Cecilia Campbell. Anna Ankney and Tess Denning both made their 192nd career appearance with the Racers, the most of any player in program history.

Lanie Wooten (23-9) took the loss with one earned and one unearned run on two hits with three walks and four strikeouts.

"I'm proud of the team this year and the seniors, especially," continued Owen. "They got us over the hump and into the national tournament and that's something we can build on."

UNOH ends the season 35-18, the most wins in program history, as well as ending the careers of the winningest class in program history. The team's four four-year seniors amassed an overall record of 117-69 (.629) during their time while going 65-24 (.730) in conference play culminating with the program's most conference wins in a season at 17-6 this year.

Each of the four now holds at least one career record for the program as well as boasting the top three all-time in career RBI and career Total Bases.