March 27, 2004
IOWA CITY – The University of Iowa softball team snapped a season-long five-game losing streak in a big way Saturday, winning a pair of shutouts on day one of the Hawkeye Classic. Iowa defeated Wisconsin 4-0, then toppled Ball State 6-0 in the final game of the day. Wisconsin beat Ball State in the first game of the day, 3-0.
The Hawkeyes jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first against Wisconsin when Natalie Johnson ripped a triple of the very top of the leftfield wall, then came around to score on a double steal with Sarah Thomson.
Iowa took a 4-0 lead in the fifth off a two-run double from Amanda Hentges and a Thomson sacrifice fly. Lisa Birocci allowed two hits and struck out four in the win, while Ali Arnold allowed just one hit in relief.
In game two, Hentges went 3-for-3 with a pair of runs scored, while Birocci hit a mammoth two-run home run in the third to give Iowa the easy 6-0 win.
Birocci pitched five innings of relief to pick up her second win of the day, allowing just one hit and striking out nine.
Iowa will resume play tomorrow, taking on Ball State at 1 p.m., then Wisconsin at 3 p.m. The Cardinals and Badgers will face off at 11 a.m.