An intrastate softball matchup is on tap in Iowa City tonight as UNI visits the Hawkeyes. The Panthers enter the contest having lost four of their last five games, and UNI coach Ryan Jacobs says his team desperately needs confidence boost. He says they are a “feel team” right now. “If they feel good, they play really good, if they don’t feel good they don’t play good…It’s hard to put your finger on it, what works and what doesn’t work,” Jacobs says.
Jacobs says that in scouting the Hawkeyes, it looks like they’ve had a bit of an up-and-down season as well. He says they had some big wins in the season, but have been inconsistent in league play. The game against Iowa is the last non-conference test for UNI before they wrap up the regular season this weekend.
Jacobs notes that he typically doesn’t like to have a midweek game during the close of the conference schedule, but says it could be beneficial this time around. “He says they usually gear up for the last week of the MVC, but he hopes playing their state rival will get them fired up.
First pitch at Pearl Field in Iowa City is scheduled for 6:30 tonight.
(Reporting by Jesse Gavin, KCNZ, Cedar Falls)