March 11, 2007
Sunnyvale, CA – Junior Emily Nichols hit an RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning to help Iowa defeat San Jose State, 9-8 Sunday in the final day of the National Invitational Softball Tournament (NIST).
Iowa lead San Jose State, 7-1 after five innings, but the Spartans scored four runs in the sixth and two in the seventh to send the game to extra innings.
International tiebreaker rules were used, which place a runner on second base to start each extra frame. San Jose State, who was the visiting team, plated a run in the top of the eighth for an 8-7 lead. Iowa tied the contest in the bottom of the eighth when Nichols, who was placed on second to start the inning, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI single by sophomore Erin Riemersma.
Iowa was able to hold San Jose State without a run in the top of the 10th after neither team plated a run in the ninth. Ackerson started the bottom of the 10th on second base and moved to third on a San Jose State error off the bat of senior Mindy Heidgerken. Nichols followed with the game-winning single to right field.
The Hawkeyes came out firing to start the game, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first for an early lead. Riemersma started the scoring when she crossed home off a San Jose State error for a 1-0 lead. Senior Sami Baugh then hit an RBI single to center that scored sophomore Colleen McGlaughlin for a 2-0 advantage. Baugh scored on a bunt single by freshman Taylor Leichsenring for the final run of the inning.
Both teams scored a run in the third inning for a 4-1 score. McGlaughlin led off with a single and freshman Callie Adreon entered as a pinch-runner. Baugh then singled to right field and Adreon moved to third. She scored on an RBI single by sophomore Rachel West.
Iowa recorded another three-run inning in the fifth for a 7-1 advantage. McGlaughlin roped an RBI double that scored pinch-runner Lindsey Digmann for the first run of the inning. West later blasted her first-career home run that also scored McGlaughlin.
Baugh finished 3-5 with an RBI while Nichols, McGlaughlin, West and Leichsenring each collected two hits. West had three RBI while McGlaughlin scored two runs. Nichols was named to the all-tournament team. Nichols’ hitting streak now sits at 24 games.
Ackerson threw four innings of relief to pick up her seventh win of the season. She threw four innings and allowed one run on one hit and stuck out seven. Freshman Amanda Zust threw the first five innings and struck out the first six batters of the game. She allowed five runs on seven hits and finished with nine strikeouts. Freshman Katie Brown threw one-third of an inning in relief and allowed two runs on two hits.
Iowa faces Colorado State in a doubleheader Tuesday in Sacramento, CA. Game one is set for 3 p.m. central time.