March 25, 2008
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- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
IOWA CITY – On Deck ? The University of Iowa softball team hosts Northern Illinois in a doubleheader Wednesday. Game one is slated for a 3 p.m. start. The game will be Iowa’s first game at Pearl Field this season. The Hawkeyes opened the 2008 schedule with 28-straight road contests.
Hawkeyes on the Web ? Fans who can’t make it to Pearl Field can follow along with Gametracker via hawkeyesports.com. Gametracker links can be found on the softball schedule page.
The remainder of Iowa softball games will be broadcast live on hawkeyesports.com. Fans can listen for free, but do have to go through a quick registration. Audio links can be found next to the Gametracker links. Rob Brooks will handle the play-by-play.
Opponents in the Polls ? Eight Iowa opponents are ranked in both the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 and ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 polls. Arizona State (1st/2nd), Florida (3rd/4th), Michigan (6th/6th), Louisiana-Lafayette (14th/15th), Northwestern (16th/16th), DePaul (17th/24), North Carolina (19th/20th) and Ohio State (22nd/RV) are all ranked.
In addtion, Florida State is receiving votes in both polls, while Ohio State is receiving votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25. Central Florida is receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 poll.
Hawkeye Classic Cancelled ? UI Department of Athletic officials decided to cancel last weekend’s Hawkeye Classic due to cold temperatures and the threat of precipitation in the Iowa City area.
Wednesday’s doubleheader will now serve as Iowa’s home opener.
Scouting Northern Illinois ? The Northern Illinois Huskies are 5-9 this season.
Michelle Nendza has started every game and leads the team with a .474 batting average. She has hit five of the team’s six home runs and has a team-best 13 RBI. Jenna Roberts is second on the team with a .333 batting average.
Three pitchers have seen time in the circle this season. Taryn Hagemann is 0-3 and leads the team with a 3.67 earned run average. Katie Greenough is 3-4 with a team-high 33 strikeouts. Joreigh Landers is 2-2 with a 4.68 earned run average and has 16 strikeouts.
Last Time vs. the Huskies ? Colleen McGlaughlin hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning to help Iowa escape DeKalb with a 4-2 win in 2007.
Taylor Leichsenring tied the game at one in the sixth when she slid in safely at home off an RBI groundout by Summer Downs. McGlaughlin followed later in the inning with a towering, two-run home run to dead center field against a strong wind blowing in to give Iowa the lead. The Hawkeyes tacked on an insurance run in the top of the seventh to secure the win.
Brittany Weil picked up the win, striking out four batters in just over three innings of relief. Amanda Zust started the game and struck out two.
Nichols Against NIU ? Senior Emily Nichols has some impressive numbers in her career against Northern Illinois.
The Portland, OR, native holds a .692 (9-13) batting average with two home runs, two doubles and four RBI in four games played against Northern Illinois.
Scoring Early and Often ? Iowa has nearly doubled its opponents run production so far this season and has jumped on its opposition early.
The Hawkeyes have scored 22 first inning runs compared to eight runs scored by their opponents. They are currently out-scoring their opponents by a 97-51 margin.
Plating Runners ? Senior Summer Downs and junior Colleen McGlaughlin are both batting .571 with a runner on third and less than two outs.
Downs is 4-7 while McGlaughlin is 8-14. McGlaughlin leads the team with 15 RBI while Downs is tied for second with 12 runs batted in.
Northern Illinois Tidbits ? Iowa is 22-16 all-time vs. Northern Illinois.
? Iowa has won six-straight contests against the Huskies. Iowa’s last loss to Northern Illinois came in 199 when the Hawkeyes dropped a 6-2 decision in DeKalb.
? Iowa junior Erin Riemersma and Northern Illinois freshman Andrea Colosimo are both from Orland Park, IL, and attended Carl Sandburg High School.
? Northern Illinois assistant coach Megan Ciolli and former Hawkeye Stacy May both played for the Chicago Bandits in 2006 when they won the NPF title.
Weil On a Roll ? Junior pitcher Brittany Weil has been named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week twice this season.
She earned her first honor of 2008 after an impressive opening weekend at the Metrodome Classic. She tossed 24.1 innings without allowing an earned run with 29 strikeouts.
Weil was tabbed as Big Ten Pitcher of the Week after giving up only one earned run on three hits while striking out 23 batters to just three walks in 14 innings of work at the Amy S. Harrison Classic.
Carmody in the Record Books ? Freshman Chelsey Carmody tied two school records in Iowa’s 11-1, five-inning win over Utah Valley State, March 9.
Carmody roped triples in her first two at-bats to tie the school record for triples in a single game. She also scored four runs, which tied the school record for runs scored in a single game.
Nichols Drafted ? Senior Emily Nichols was selected by the Chicago Bandits in Monday’s National Professional Fastpitch (NPF) Draft. Nichols was the third pick in the second round and the ninth overall selection.
Nichols Named to Watch List ? Senior catcher Emily Nichols has been named to the 2008 USA Softball Player of the Year Watch List. The Portland, OR, native is one of 50 players to be selected. Nichols is the first Hawkeye player named to the USA Softball Player of the Year Watch List.
The Amateur Softball Association (ASA) sponsors the award, which is considered one of the most prestigious honors in collegiate softball. This is the seventh year the ASA has given the award.
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