May 21, 2005
Lincoln, NE – The University of Iowa softball team defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers, 1-0 to advance to the finals of the NCAA Region 16 Softball Tournament. Kylie Murray was the hero of game two on Saturday, belting an RBI double to right field to score the only run of the contest.
The game remained scoreless until the sixth inning. With one out, Stacy May drew a walk and Murray followed with the game-winning double that glanced off the glove of the Nebraska centerfielder and nearly cleared the fence.
Junior Ali Arnold held the Cornhuskers in check, throwing a three-hit shutout while striking out seven. Arnold threw 3.1 innings before allowing her first hit.
“I think our kids really brought out the Hawkeye spirit and played a couple of great games today,” Head Coach Gayle Blevins said. “In our first game, [Stacy] May was on fire and [Lisa] Birocci was pitching really well. And Nebraska played a great game and it really came down to the difference between getting a hit in clutch situations. I’m proud of our kids because they had their back against the wall twice today and gave great performances both times.”
The Hawkeyes (50-13) will face Washington in the finals on Sunday. In order to reach the Super Regionals, Iowa will have to defeat the Huskies twice. Game one is set for 1 p.m.