April 24, 2005
IOWA CITY – The University of Iowa softball team collected two wins against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits on Sunday. The Hawkeyes won game one, 8-0 in five innings and picked up their 40th victory of the season in game two with a 14-1 five-inning win.
Iowa outhit South Dakota State, 22-5 and smashed four home runs on the day. Game one started off quickly when Stacy May led off with a blast over the left field fence for a 1-0 lead. After Summer Downs reached base on an error, Emily Nichols crushed a double into left center, scoring Downs. Sami Baugh followed with another double to left and Nichols scored. Iowa scored its fourth run of the inning when Brandi Sargent singled in Baugh.
The Hawkeyes added another run in the second when Nichols recorded her 16th home run of the season to make the score 5-0.
The offensive surge continued in the fourth. With runners on second and third, Kylie Murray grounded out to the shortstop, allowing May to score from third. Baugh followed with a single to score Downs and Sargent slapped a single to right field, scoring Nichols for the final run of the game.
Three Hawkeyes collected multiple hits in game one. Sargent was 3-3 with two RBI while Nichols and Baugh each went 2-3 with two RBI a piece.
Ali Arnold improved her record to 16-2 with the win. The junior threw five shutout innings and allowed two hits while striking out five.
Iowa’s bats were even hotter in game two, scoring at least two runs in each of the five innings. Baugh continued her hot streak, knocking a single to right field in the first to score Abby Ruff. After a Lisa Birocci single, Steph Ackerson singled to left field, scoring both Baugh and Birocci for a 3-0 lead.
After Downs singled in May, Kylie Murray hit a three-run home run to right center field for a 7-0 advantage after two innings.
Nichols hit a double to right field with two outs in the third, scoring Downs and Natalie Johnson for a 10-0 Iowa lead.
The Hawkeyes added two runs in the fourth and capped off the scoring in the fifth when Baugh belted a two-run home run to center field.
Baugh led the Hawkeye offense in game two, going 3-4 with three RBI and three runs scored. Murray was 2-4 with three RBI and two runs scored while Nichols also went 2-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.
Birocci went the distance and allowed one run on three hits and struck out seven.
Iowa will return to action on Tuesday against Western Illinois. Game time is set for 6 p.m. at Pearl Field.