Hawkeyes Knock Off No. 22 Ohio State

March 29, 2008

Box Score

Columbus, OH – The University of Iowa softball team upset 22nd-ranked Ohio State, 1-0, Saturday at Buckeye Field. The Hawkeyes move to 21-11 overall and 1-1 in Big Ten play. The win snapped Ohio State’s 25-game regular season home winning streak.

Iowa scored the lone run of the game in the fifth inning off an RBI single by junior Quinn Morelock. Junior Erin Riemersma singled through the left side and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior Summer Downs. Morelock then battled a 2-2 count and drilled a single up the middle to score the first run of the game.

Great defense in the fourth inning by Iowa kept the game scoreless. After a single, an intentional walk and a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third with only one out, Karisa Medrano hit a sharp ground ball to junior Colleen McGlaughlin at third. She fired home to catcher Emily Nichols, forcing a rundown between third and home. Riemersma shifted over to cover third and applied the tag for the second out. Riemersma then tossed the ball to freshman Chelsey Carmody at second, who caught Sam Marder off the bag to escape the jam.

Sophomore Amanda Zust held the top offense in the Big Ten to just two hits while striking out three. All three of her walks were intentional passes to Marder. She retired eight of the first nine batters in a row, with one intentional walk in the first inning. She then sat down seven of the next eight with one intentional pass.

Carmody played outstanding defense for Iowa, recording three putouts and three assists, including an impressive diving stop in the fifth to keep the Buckeyes off the bases.

“This was a great win for us,” Head Coach Gayle Blevins said. “We need to win these types of games on the road in Big Ten play. I thought the defense was outstanding and I’m really happy how the players came together after a tough loss last night.”

The Hawkeyes will step out of conference play Tuesday when they travel to Ames to face Iowa State. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.