March 28, 2004
IOWA CITY – The University of Iowa softball team split a pair of games at the Hawkeye Classic Sunday at Pearl Field. The Hawkeyes routed Ball State, 9-0 in five innings, then fell to Wisconsin, 2-1.
In game one, the Hawkeyes jumped out to a dominating 6-0 lead in the top of the first inning, sending ten batters to the plate in the process. Ball State made a pair of costly errors in the inning, and all six runs ended up being unearned.
Iowa added a run in the second, then another pair in the third to take a 9-0 lead. The combination of Ali Arnold and Lisa Birocci kept the Cardinals off the board the rest of the way and end the game by eight-run rule. Seven different Hawkeyes got a hit in the game, with Amanda Hentges leading the way by going 2-for-2 with two runs scored and an RBI.
In game two, the Hawkeyes scored first on an RBI single from Stacy May in the second inning. Birocci was throwing well until making one costly mistake when she gave up a two-run home run to Athena Vasquez in the top of the fifth.
Kylie Murray and Natalie Johnson each had a pair of hits against Wisconsin.
The Hawkeyes will return to action this Wednesday when they travel to Des Moines and take on Drake at 4 p.m.