Feb. 11, 2007
DeLand, FL – The University of Iowa softball team claimed the 2007 Stetson Tournament championship with a 4-1 win over host-school Stetson. Iowa finished the opening weekend with a 4-1 record.
Iowa jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Junior Summer Downs singled and scored on an RBI triple by junior Emily Nichols for the first run of the contest. Sophomore Colleen McGlaughlin plated Nichols with an RBI double to center.
Stetson threatened in the bottom of the second, but the Hawkeye defense maintained the shutout. Two bloop singles and a hit batsman loaded the bases for the Hatters with only one out. Stetson’s Leonor Carreno hit a sharp ground ball back to pitcher Stephanie Ackerson, who threw home to senior Sami Baugh for the force out. Baugh then turned a double-play to freshman Katie Brown at first base to end the inning.
Iowa increased its lead to 3-0 in the third inning. Sophomore Erin Riemersma singled to start the inning and took second on a sacrifice bunt by Downs. Riemersma then moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a double-steal.
Stetson cut the Iowa lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the third when Lindsay Wightman hit a sacrifice fly to score Amy Joyce.
The Hawkeyes added their final run in the top of the sixth for a 4-1 advantage. Baugh roped a two-out single to left field and sophomore Callie Adreon entered as a pinch-runner. Sophomore Quinn Morelock followed with a deep fly ball to left field that bounced off the glove of the Stetson leftfielder, and a hustling Adreon scored from first..
Six Hawkeyes each collected one hit in the championship game. Nichols finished the weekend 7-14 with one home run, one triple, one double and 10 RBI.
Ackerson tossed a complete game, allowing one run on three hits and struck out two.
Iowa travels to Arizona State to compete in the Littlewood Classic February 16-18.