April 13, 2007
IOWA CITY – The University of Iowa softball team (28-16, 4-3) lost to ninth-ranked Michigan (30-6, 2-1) Friday, 3-2 in 10 innings. The Hawkeyes took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh, but couldn’t come away with the upset.
Junior Emily Nichols gave the Hawkeyes a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run. Nichols tallied her 10th long ball of the season off Lorilyn Wilson’s first pitch of the inning.
Nichols increased Iowa’s lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out, RBI single. Sophomore Erin Riemersma drew a two-out walk and moved to second on a single by freshman Taylor Leichsenring. Nichols followed with a sharp single up the middle that scored Riemersma for Iowa’s second run of the contest.
Michigan’s Samantha Findlay tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the seventh with a two-run home run to left field. Angela Findlay and Tiffany Worthy followed with singles, but a 4-6-3 double play ended the inning.
Iowa nearly plated the winning run in the bottom of the seventh, but Michigan third baseman Teddi Ewing sent the game to extra innings. Senior Mindy Heidgerken led off the inning with a single and then stole second and third with two outs. Leichsenring then slapped a ground ball to Ewing and third, but a nice throw barely beat Leichsenring to the bag.
Michigan took the lead in the top of the 10th off an RBI single by Maggie Viefhaus. Ewing started the inning with a triple and scored on the next at-bat by Viefhaus.
Iowa’s defense along with starting pitcher Brittany Weil stranded 14 Wolverine runners on base. Weil threw all 10 innings for the Hawkeyes and threw 185 pitches, 126 were strikes. She allowed three runs on 16 hits and struck out six.
Nichols and Leichsenring each collected two hits at the plate.
Iowa and Michigan will play game two of the series Saturday at Noon.
Click HERE for more information about the Big Ten Network.