Feb. 25, 2007
Louisville, KY – Senior Sami Baugh hit an RBI double in the top of the eighth to give Iowa a 3-2, extra inning win over host school Louisville Sunday at the Red and Black Tournament. Baugh finished the game 2-3 with two RBI while junior Emily Nichols extended her hitting streak to 13 games.
International tiebreak rules were used in the extra innings, which place a runner on second base for both teams. Sophomore Colleen McGlaughlin started the eighth on second base and scored off the RBI double by Baugh.
After Melissa Roth was placed on second to start the bottom of the eighth for Louisville, freshman pitcher Amanda Zust struck out the first batter but walked the next two to load the bases. Sarah Totten then hit a ground ball to junior Stephanie Ackerson, who threw home for the second out of the inning. Zust then struck out Kristi Cunninigham, who hit a solo home run earlier in the game, to secure Iowa’s eighth win of the season.
Iowa took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first, despite not recording a hit in the inning. Nichols was hit by a pitch and reached second on an infield error off the bat of McGlaughlin. Freshman Callie Adreon took Nichols’ place at second, followed by a Baugh walk to load the bases. Adreon scored on a fielder’s choice from sophomore Quinn Morelock for the early advantage.
Iowa threatened with runners on second and third with no outs in the top of the third, but three-straight strikeouts by Louisville pitcher Catherine Bishop shut down the Iowa scoring chance.
Louisville matched Iowa’s scoring chance in their half of the third with the bases loaded and no outs. Iowa got the first out of the inning on a ground ball to sophomore Erin Riemersma, who fired home for a force out. The Cardinals tied the contest on an RBI single by Brooke McCrain, but senior Mindy Heidgerken fired a throw to Baugh at home, who applied the tag for the second out of the frame. A fly ball to Morelock in right field ended the inning.
The Cardinals took a 2-1 lead in the fourth off a solo home run by Kristi Cunningham.
Baugh tied the score at 2-2 in the top of the fifth with a two-out RBI single. McGlaughlin started the rally with a two-out single to right field and sophomore Rachel West entered the game as a pinch-runner. West then stole second and scored on a bloop single by Baugh.
Louisville threatened to take the lead with two outs and a runner in scoring position, but a diving stop on a ground ball by freshman second baseman Lindsey Digmann and a great stretch at first by Ackerson got Iowa out of the inning.
Freshman Amanda Zust threw all eight innings for Iowa. She allowed two runs on six hits and struck out a career-high eight batters.
Nichols has tallied at least one hit in each of Iowa’s 13 games this season.
Iowa decided to cancel its final game of the Red and Black Tournament against Kansas due to the inclement weather in the Midwest.
The Hawkeyes travel to Marietta, GA, next weekend to compete in the Buzz Classic.