April 7, 2004
IOWA CITY – The University of Iowa softball team got a dramatic extra-inning win when Kylie Murray hit a two-run, walk-off home run to give Iowa a 2-0 victory over Northern Illinois Wednesday night.
“It felt great,” Murray said of the walk-off. “Our pitchers worked really hard today, so it felt great to deliver for them.”
The Hawkeyes (23-15, 4-0) were held to just five hits on the day by Northern Illinois pitcher Kathy Dearborn. Stacy May was 2-for-4 on the day, while Murray was 1-of-4.
Ali Arnold started in the circle for Iowa and pitched six and a third innings, scattering four hits and striking out seven. Junior Lisa Birocci came in and pitched four and two thirds innings of one-hit relief and picked up her 11th win of the year.
Neither team put the opposing defense under any sustained pressure until the Huskies put a runner on third with no outs in the top of the 11th. Birocci was able to work out of the jam, getting two groundouts and a pop foul.
In the bottom of the inning, May beat out an infield single to set the stage for Murray’s heroics.
Iowa will return to action this weekend with a pair of games at Indiana Friday and Saturday, then a doubleheader with Purdue. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 3 p.m.