April 11, 2004
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – The University of Iowa softball team swept an Easter doubleheader with the Purude Boilermakers Sunday in West Lafayette, IN. The Hawkeyes took game one by a score of 6-0, then finished the sweep with a 4-0 shutout in game two.
Iowa ups its record to 27-15, 8-0 in the Big Ten.
Lisa Birocci owned the Boilermaker bats the entire day, throwing a one-hit shutout in game one, then picking up the victory in relief in game two. In total, the junior all-American struck out 15 hitters in 8 1/3 innings.
In game one, Birocci took a perfect game into the bottom of the seventh inning before surrendering Purdue’s lone hit of the game.
Stacy May and Kylie Murry each picked up RBIs to give Iowa the lead in the top of the fourth, and Iowa added three more runs in the top of the fifth by taking advantage of a pair of costly Boilermaker errors. Laura Chipman gave Iowa its final run in the sixth with an RBI double into centerfield.
In game two, sophomore Ali Arnold started the game and kept Purdue off the scoreboard through four innings. The Bloomington, IL, native gave way to Birocci in the fifth, and the junior completed the second shutout of the day.
Iowa got all the runs it would need in the bottom of the fifth by using a pair of hits and a very costly error by the Boilermakers.
Murray put Iowa on the board with an RBI single, then Iowa loaded up the bases with an infield single from May and a walk. Birocci then lifted a pop fly into centerfield, but the ball was dropped and all three runners scored.
Iowa will return to action this Thursday when the Hawkeyes travel to Ames for a game with arch-rival Iowa State. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.