Feb. 12, 2006
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Miami, FL – The University of Iowa softball team defeated Arkansas, 5-1 Sunday in the final day of the Diamond Sports Fun and Sun Classic. Freshman Brittany Weil picked up her fourth win while five different Hawkeyes recorded hits.
Iowa struck first, scoring four runs in the bottom of the third inning. Freshman Quinn Morelock led off the inning with her first career hit. Sophomore Mindy Heidgerken then executed a perfect bunt that stopped in front of the plate and she beat out the throw to first. After a Jenna Spratt sacrifice bunt advanced runners to second and third, senior Stacy May drew a walk to load the bases. Senior Kylie Murray hit a sacrifice fly to score Morelock from third for the first run of the inning. Sophomore Summer Downs then cracked a two-RBI double to center field, scoring both Heidgerken and May. Freshman Callie Adreon replaced Downs on second base and took both third base and scored on two straight wild pitches to give the Hawkeyes a 4-0 lead.
The Hawkeyes added another run in the bottom of the fourth. Sophomore Emily Nichols walked to start the inning. Sophomore Erin Riemersma reached base by an error by the Arkansas second baseman. Morelock followed with a sacrifice bunt, advancing the runners to second and third with one out. Heidgerken then put down a squeeze bunt and Nichols scored from third.
Arkansas scored its first run in the top of the sixth. Mindy O’Malley doubled to lead off the inning and pinch-hitter Kayla Johnson smacked an infield single, but a the attempted throw from May skipped by first base and went out of play with allowed O’Malley to score the final run of the contest.
The Hawkeyes would have moved on to the championship game of the tournament but were not able to participate due to the team’s pre-arranged travel plans.
May and Weil were named to the Diamond Fun and Sun Classic all-tournament team. May batted a team best .462 (6-13) with three doubles, three runs scored and one RBI. Weil recorded all four wins in Miami with a 0.98 ERA and 18 strikeouts to just four walks.
Up next for the Hawkeyes is the Littlewood Classic hosted by Arizona State University February 17-19.