April 26, 2005
IOWA CITY – The University of Iowa softball team used three home runs and a brilliant pitching performance from junior Ali Arnold to defeat the Western Illinois Westerwinds, 8-0 in five innings at Pearl Field Tuesday. The Hawkeyes (41-9) capitalized on home runs from Summer Downs, Kylie Murray and Sami Baugh en route to the victory.
The Hawkeye bats started off hot, collecting three runs in both the first and second innings. Stacy May led off the bottom of the first with a walk and Downs followed with a single to center field. Emily Nichols reached on a fielder’s choice, advancing May to third but Downs was put out at second on the play. Murray was next in the batters box and belted her fourth home run of the season to put the Hawkeyes up, 3-0.
Mindy Heidgerken led off the second inning with a single to left and stole second base. Jenna Spratt advanced Heidgerken to third with a sacrifice hit, followed by an RBI single off the bat of May. Downs followed wity a towering two-run home run to center field and the Hawkeyes led, 6-0 after two innings.
Baugh kept the offense rolling in the third, leading the inning off with a solo home run to straight away center field. After a Western Illinois pitching change, Brandi Sargent singled and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Arnold. Heidgerken smacked an RBI single to center field, scoring Sargent for the final run of the contest.
Downs and Heidgerken each collected two hits for the Hawkeyes while Murray recorded three RBI.
Arnold threw a gem for the Hawkeyes, allowing no runs on two hits and struck out 13 of the 18 batters she faced. She improved her record to 17-2 on the season.
Iowa returns to Big Ten action Friday against the Wisconsin Badgers. First pitch is scheduled to be thrown at 6 p.m.