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COLLEGE STATION, Texas – University of Iowa softball junior Mallory Kilian’s two run shot in the seventh inning solidified the Hawkeyes’ 11-3 win over Tulsa on Sunday morning in its Texas A&M Invitational finale.
The Hawkeyes gave up an unearned run in the first before answering with five runs in the third inning of a game dominated by Iowa’s offense.
Freshman Aralee Bogar scored on a throwing error that put Kilian and sophomore Havyn Monteer on second and third, respectively. Senior Sarah Kurtz then stepped up to the plate with two outs and smacked an RBI double down the left field line, plating Kilian and Monteer.
Sophomores Brooke Rozier and McKenzie Schneider collected two more Hawkeye runs to give Iowa a 5-1 lead after three innings.
Iowa extended its lead in the fourth inning when senior Sarah Kurtz hit an RBI single into left field, scoring freshman Alex Rath.
Tulsa looked for a comeback in the bottom of the fourth. The Golden Hurricanes scored two runs before freshman pitcher Lauren Shaw and the Hawkeye defense shut them down.
In the top of the sixth, Cantu, Kurtz, and Pratt hit RBIs to increase Iowa’s lead to 9-3. Kilian added the final blow with her two-RBI bomb in the seventh inning.
Shaw (1-2) earned the win, recording four strikeouts and pitching a complete game for the first time in her career.
NOTABLES
- Three Hawkeye starters had multiple hit games: Aralee Bogar (2-for-5), Devin Cantu (2-for-4), and Sarah Kurtz (4-for-4).
- Brooke Rozier entered as a pinch hitter and eventually and went 2-for-3 against Tulsa.
- Kilian’s home run was her first of the season and the seventh of her career.
QUOTING HEAD COACH MARLA LOOPER
“Today’s win was about controlling what we can control, just like I’ve talked about all weekend. When we didn’t take care of things and didn’t attack the ball, games didn’t go our way. Today we stayed on the attack, controlled what we could, and got the win.
“It’s always nice for pitchers to get that first win, but it takes the whole team to do it. Today when we got the large lead, Lauren continued to pound the zone and attack hitters. She’s pitched good innings for us since her first start last weekend.”
RECORDS UPDTATE
Iowa: 4-5
Tulsa: 3-6
UP NEXT
Iowa has a week off before traveling to the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, California, on March 2-4. The Hawkeyes open competition Friday, March 2, against Stanford at 2:30 p.m. (CT).
