April 3, 2006
IOWA CITY – The Setting
The University of Iowa softball team (20-14) travels to Ames Tuesday to face the Iowa State Cyclones in the final event of the 2006 Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk series. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. The intra-state rivalry will also be broadcast live on AM 800 KXIC. Steven Grace will handle play-by-play commentary.
The Hawkeyes return home for a four game homestand this weekend, hosting Big Ten foe Minnesota (11-18, 0-4) and North Dakota State (11-22). Iowa and Minnesota will play single games Friday (6 p.m.) and Saturday (12 p.m). The Hawkeyes will face North Dakota State in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Fans can access live stats (Gametracker) via www.hawkeyesports.com. All of Iowa’s games this week will be available through Gametracker.
The Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series
Hy-Vee Inc.-in conjunction with Hawkeye Sports Properties, a division of Learfield Communications and Cyclone Sports Marketing, a division of Clear Channel and ESPN Regional, reached an agreement with Iowa State University and the University of Iowa to serve as the title sponser for the schools’ Cy-Hawk series – the name given to the collection of regular-season, head-to-head intercollegiate athletic events featuring Cyclone and Hawkeye teams.
Iowa State currently leads the 2005-06 Cy-Hawk series, 13-4. Tuesday’s softball contest is worth two points and two additional points will be awarded for an institution if the student-athlete graduation rate for all student-athletes is greater than the national average for all student-athletes, according to the annual graduation rate report issued each September/October by the NCAA.
Hawkeyes Open Big Ten Play
Iowa won a pair of games against Illinois, 9-0 and 7-4, but fell to 16th ranked Northwestern, 3-1 and 12-2 in five innings in the first weekend of Big Ten play.
The Hawkeye offense was explosive against the Illini, recording five home runs and 11 extra base hits. Erin Riemersma, Summer Downs, Stacy May, Emily Nichols and Colleen McGlaughlin each recorded all went deep against Illinois.
Freshman Brittany Weil threw both games against the Illini, allowing four runs on seven hits in 14 innings pitched. She also struck out 16 Illini batters.
The Hawkeyes were able to record only three hits total in two games at Northwestern. Junior Mindy Heidgerken was responsible for all three of Iowa’s RBI against the Wildcats. She tallied the only hit in game one with a solo home run in the seventh inning, then added two more RBIs with a two-run home run in game two.
Scouting Iowa State
The Iowa State Cyclones are 15-15 overall and 1-3 in the Big 12 play.
The Cyclone offense is led by Ashley Killeen, who is batting .375 with five home runs and 28 RBI.
Alyssa Ransom and Amie Ford split time in the circle for the Cyclones. Ransom is 6-8 with a 1.80 ERA while Ford is 9-7 with a 1.90 ERA. Ford also has 104 strikeouts.
The Cyclones are coached by Stacy Gemeinhardt. Iowa State leads the all-time series, 26-28-1.
Scouting Minnesota
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are 11-18 and 0-4 in Big Ten action.
Megan Higginbotham is batting .395 with two home runs and eight RBI to pace the Gopher offense.
The Gophers have used four different pitchers this season. Briana Hassett has 21 appearances with a 5-10 record. Rene Konderik leads the team with a 1.29 ERA.
The Golden Gophers are coached by co-head coaches Lisa Bernstein and Julie Standering. Iowa leads the all-time series 46-36.
Scouting North Dakota State
The North Dakota State Bison are 11-22 this season.
Iowa defeated the Bison, 3-0 earlier this season in the Hawkeye Classic.
Kelly Vivant is batting .313 with six RBI to lead the Bison offense.
Amber Garrett is 6-7 with a 2.23 ERA inside the circle. She also leads the team with 82 strikeouts.
The Bison are coached by Darren Mueller. Iowa leads the all-time series, 2-0.
Going Deep
Iowa, as a team, has recorded 22 home runs this season. Last season, Iowa set the single season home run record with 61 long balls.
Making the Most of Her AB’sv Sophomore Summer Downs has tallied 14 RBI on 19 hits this season. She is batting .224 with four doubles.
Heidgerken Hot In Conference Play
Junior Mindy Heidgerken is picking up where she left off last season in Big Ten action, hitting .364 with two home runs and three RBI.
Heidgerken was a unanimous first team all-Big Ten selection in 2005.
First One as a Hawkeye
Freshman Colleen McGlaughlin belted her first home run as a Hawkeye in a 7-4 win against Illinois Saturday. McGlaughlin has appeared in 24 games and started 13 this season.
Battle For Left Field
Four Hawkeyes have seen time in left field this season. Quinn Morelock, Colleen McGlaughlin, Emily Gerlick and Jenna Spratt have all played left for the Hawkeyes.
Closing In On School Records
Sophomore Emily Nichols blasted her fourth and fifth home runs of the season against Illinois last weekend. Nichols, who has 21 career home runs, only needs nine more home runs to break the Iowa career home run mark of 29, set by Alicia Gerlach (1999-02).
Senior Stacy May has 47 career doubles, which is only five doubles shy of the career record of 52, held by Kari Knopf (1994-97).
May Selected in NPL Draft
Shortstop Stacy May has been drafted by the Comcast Chicago Bandits, a member of the National Professional Fastpitch League (NPF). May was selected with the fourth pick in the second round. She was the Bandits’ first pick overall.
May has started every game in her career so far at Iowa and is a two-time all-Big Ten selection. She was also named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2003. She joins current Akron Racer Kristin Johnson as the second Hawkeye to be a member of the NPF.
Iowa vs. Michigan on TV
Iowa’s softball contest vs. Michigan on April 15 at Pearl Field will be broadcast to a national cable audience on College Sports Television (CSTV). The game is scheduled for a 12 p.m. start. In addition, the telecast can also be seen statewide on Mediacom’s Connections Channel.
This is the first time in school history that a regular season home game has been televised.
Early Honors
Senior Stacy May and freshman Brittany Weil were both named to the Diamond Fun and Sun Classic all-Tournament team.
May batted .462 (6-13) with three doubles during the opening tournment while Weil went 4-1 with a 0.98 ERA and 18 K’s in her first action as a Hawkeye.
May was also named to the Capital Classic all-tournament team. May finished the Capital Classic with a .417 batting average and did not commit an error all tournament.