April 30, 2007
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IOWA CITY – Hawkeyes Host Drake In Final Mid-Week Game
The University of Iowa softball team (35-20, 9-7) hosts Drake in its final mid-week game of the season. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. Admission is $3 for adults and free for children 18 and under along with UI students.
Hawkeyes on the Air
The remaining games on Iowa’s schedule will be broadcast via the Internet at hawkeyesports.com. Jerry Kiwala or Rob Brooks will handle play-by-play commentary.
The broadcasts are free and can be found in the Hawkeye All-Access section.
Hawkeyes on the Web
Iowa softball fans can follow the Hawkeyes every week with Gametracker at hawkeyesports.com. Just click on the Gametracker link found on the softball schedule page.
Hawkeyes Take Down Western Illinois
Iowa defeated Western Illinois, 5-1 Sunday at Pearl Field. Iowa scored all five of its runs in the first four innings.
Sophomore Rachel West finished a perfect 3-3 while freshman Taylor Leichsenring, sophomore Colleen McGlaughlin and senior Mindy Heidgerken each went 2-3.
Sophomore Brittany Weil threw five innings for her 16th win of the season. She allowed one run on four hits and struck out three. Freshman Amanda Zust threw two innings of relief and struck out two.
Long Ball Sinks Iowa At Northwestern
The Hawkeyes dropped two games to eighth-ranked Northwestern last weekend (5-1, 2-1). The Wildcats scored all seven runs in the two-game series off home runs.
Northwestern hit two solo home runs and a three-run home run in game one to take a 5-0 lead. Iowa managed to plate one run off an Emily Nichols single in the seventh.
In game two, Iowa took a 1-0 lead with an RBI double by Erin Riemersma, but a Northwestern two-run home run in the fifth was the difference.
Scouting Drake
The Drake Bulldogs are 15-34 overall and 5-16 in the Missouri Valley.
Jenna Wilkin leads the team with a .345 batting average. Susan Slycord has a team-high 27 RBI.
Mandy Osborn is 7-14 with a 3.43 earned run average while Cassie Heller is 8-19 with a 4.87 earned run average and has a team-best 94 strikeouts.
Iowa leads the all-time series, 29-5.
Hawkeye Connections at Drake
Drake Head Coach Rich Calvert served as an assistant coach at Iowa from 1997-2002. Calvert helped the Hawkeyes advance to the Women’s College World Series in 1997 and 2001.
Laura Chipman, Drake’s graduate assistant coach, played at Iowa from 2001-04. She was an NFCA Academic all-American and an academic all-Big Ten selection.
Drake junior Kristin Birocci is the sister of former Hawkeye all-American pitcher Lisa Birocci.
Flashing the Leather
Junior Stephanie Ackerson made two great defensive plays in game two against Northwestern to keep the Hawkeyes close.
In the second inning, Ackerson laid out for a foul ball near the Northwestern dugout to help Iowa get out of the inning. Ackerson stabbed at a sure line-drive base hit in the sixth to once again help the Hawkeyes end the frame.
Summer-Time in Evanston
Junior Summer Downs batted .600 (3-5) in the two-game series at Northwestern. She also had two putouts, five assists and did not commit an error in 13 innings played at third base.
Leaders in Conference Play
Four Hawkeyes are batting above .300 in Big Ten play.
Junior Summer Downs is batting .383 (18-47) and leads the team with five doubles. She also has three home runs and 13 RBI.
Sophomore Erin Riemersma is batting .360 (18-50) and has a team-best 14 runs scored. Riemersma has three home runs, seven doubles and seven RBI.
Junior Emily Nichols has a .327 (17-52) batting average and has belted a team-high four home runs and 16 RBI.
Sophomore Colleen McGlaughlin is batting .319 (15-47) with three doubles.
Hawkeyes in Big Ten Stats
Here is a list of where different Hawkeyes rank in the top five of different categories.
All Games
Player Category Rank
Rachel West Stolen Bases (29) 2nd
Brittany Weil ERA (1.57) 3rd
Emily Nichols Total Bases (126) 3rd
Emily Nichols Batting Avg. (.407) 3rd
Emily Nichols Hits (74) 3rd
Rachel West Triples (4) T3rd
Brittany Weil Saves (2) 4th
Erin Riemersma Stolen Bases (17) T4th
Mindy Heidgerken Stolen Bases (17) T4th
Emily Nichols RBI (48) 5th
Brittany Weil K's Looking (45) 5th
Big Ten Games
Player Category Rank
Amanda Zust ERA (0.75) 1st
Brittany Weil Innings Pitched (93.1)1st
Brittany Weil K's Looking (25) 1st
Brittany Weil Starts (13) 1st
Brittany Weil Appearances (16) 1st
Brittany Weil Wins (8) T2nd
Brittany Weil Strikeouts (78) 3rd
Rachel West Stolen Bases (8) T1st
Mindy Heidgerken Stolen Bases (8) T1st
Summer Downs Doubles (5) 2nd
Erin Riemersma Runs Scored (14) T2nd
Taylor Leichsenring Triples (1) T2nd
Erin Riemersma Doubles (4) T3rd
Emily Nichols RBI (16) T4th
Erin Riemersma Stolen Bases (4) T4th
Brittany Weil Saves (1) T4th
Summer Downs RBI (13) 5th
Summer Downs Total Bases (29) T5th
Emily Nichols Total Bases (29) T5th
Erin Riemersma Walks (9) T5th
Brittany Weil ERA (1.50) 5th
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Heidgerken Heating Up
Senior Mindy Heidgerken has collected one home run, three hits and three RBI in her last two games.
In game two against Northwestern, Heidgerken went 1-3 and scored the only Hawkeye run of the game. She went 2-3 with a three-run home run and an RBI single to help Iowa defeat Western Illinois.
McGlaughlin Likes Pearl
Sophomore Colleen McGlaughlin must like batting in the friendly confines of Pearl Field.
McGlaughlin leads the team with a .463 (19-41) average in 15 home games this season. She also has seven doubles and five RBI.
Quick on the Basepaths
As a team, Iowa has stolen 107 bases this season. Sophomore Rachel West leads the team with 29 stolen bases, followed by sophomore Erin Riemersma and senior Mindy Heidgerken, each with 17.
Weil Named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week
Sophomore pitcher Brittany Weil was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week for her efforts during Iowa’s five-game road trip March 28-April 1. This was the first time Weil earned the award.
Weil picked up five wins with a 0.78 ERA in 27 innings. She collected 27 strikeouts and helped Iowa to a 4-0 record in the opening weekend of Big Ten play.
Hitting Streak Snapped
Junior Emily Nichols’ school and Big Ten record hitting streak was snapped at the Capital Classic March 16. Nichols failed to collect a hit against Mercer, ending her streak at 28 games.
Nichols Breaks Home Run Mark
Junior Emily Nichols broke Iowa’s career home run record with a two-run home run against Indiana on March 31. Nichols’ home run cleared the center field fence and gave Iowa a 9-0, six-inning win over the Hoosiers.
Nichols passed former Hawkeye Alicia Gerlach, who hit 29 career home runs from 1999-02. Nichols currently has 32 career home runs.
Ackerson No-Hits Howard in Season Opener
Junior Stephanie Ackerson took full advantage of her first career start in the circle, tossing a five-inning no-hitter in Iowa’s season opener against Howard. The Clive, IA, native allowed only four Howard baserunners and struck out five.
Prior to the start against Howard, Ackerson had only thrown 11 innings in relief.
Weather Line
Fans of Iowa softball can now call to check if a home game is delayed or cancelled due to inclement weather. The number to call is (319) 335-9450.
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