Feb. 17, 2007
Tempe, AZ – The University of Iowa softball team lost two games in day two of the Littlewood Classic Saturday. The Hawkeyes fell to Illinois State, 5-1, and lost a heartbreaker to second-ranked Arizona State, 4-3.
Second-ranked Arizona State jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first of game two, and threatened later in the inning with the bases loaded and zero outs. Arizona State’s Caylyn Carlson hit a sharp line drive that was snagged by freshman Lindsey Digmann, who then hustled to touch first base for a double play. Freshman Amanda Zust then struck out Mindy Cowles to end the inning.
Sophomore Colleen McGlaughlin put Iowa on the scoreboard in the fourth with a line-drive, solo home run over the left field fence that trimmed Arizona State’s lead to 3-1.
Iowa made things interesting in the top of the seventh, evening the score at 3-3. Junior Emily Nichols started the inning with a single and took second on a passed ball. Sophomore Quinn Morelock then looped an RBI single to right field that scored Nichols for a 3-2 score. Senior Jenna Spratt took Morelock’s spot at first and senior Sami Baugh was then hit by a pitch. Senior Mindy Heidgerken followed with a sharp single down the left field line that scored a hustling Spratt to tie the score.
Arizona State used three singles in the bottom of the seventh to plate the go-ahead run. Arizona State’s all-American Kaitlin Cochran recorded an RBI single with the bases loaded to win the game.
Both teams played stellar defense, including Digmann, Riemersma and junior Stephanie Ackerson, who all made outstanding plays in the field. Arizona State’s defense robbed Iowa of multiple base hits to maintain its lead.
Six Hawkeyes collected one hit while four Hawkeyes tallied an RBI.
Zust took the loss for Iowa, despite an excellent performance. She threw a complete game while striking out two and walking five.
Illinois State used RBI singles by Jessie Buker and Casey Gorrell and a three-RBI double by Jackie Williams to take a 5-0 lead in the third inning of game one.
Heidgerken made a great defensive play in the top of the fourth inning to keep Illinois State off the scoreboard. Kelsey Warning hit a ball to deep centerfield that was headed over the fence, but Heidgerken reached over the wall and made an excellent catch, robbing Warning of a sure home run.
Iowa battled back in the bottom of the sixth with one run to make the score 5-1. Nichols started the inning with a double down the left field line and advanced to third on a groundout by McGlaughlin. Morelock followed with a sharp single that deflected off the Illinois State pitcher’s glove and rolled into right field, allowing Nichols to score.
The Hawkeyes threatened in their last at-bat, but couldn’t push any runs across the plate. Iowa had the bases loaded with only one out, and Nichols hit a sharp line drive to Kaprice Williams to shortstop. Williams caught the ball and threw over to third for a game-ending double play.
Nichols collected two of Iowa’s seven hits to lead the Hawkeyes at the plate.
Zust threw three innings in the loss. She struck out four and walked four. Ackerson threw four innings in relief, striking out three and walking three.
Iowa wraps up the Littlewood Classic Sunday against Idaho State. First pitch is set for 8 a.m. central time.