April 22, 2008
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Des Moines, IA – The 25th-ranked University of Iowa softball team dropped its second extra-inning game in a row, falling to Drake, 4-3 in 12 innings. Drake was able to score the winning run off of a Hawkeye error.
Elena Leon drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the 12th and then stole second. Another walk put runners on first and second with one out in the frame. Carrie Hatfield then hit a ground ball to freshman Chelsey Carmody at second, who attempted a throw to junior Erin Riemersma for a potential double-play, but the throw sailed to the outfield, allowing the winning run to score from second.
Junior Colleen McGlaughlin gave Iowa an early lead with a solo home run in the top of the first inning. McGlaughlin took a 2-1 pitch and drilled it over the left field fence for the early Hawkeye advantage.
Back-to-back RBI singles by Kristin Birocci and Jaci Faidley gave Drake a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third inning. Digmann then made a great defensive play to end the inning. With Bulldog runners on second and third with one out, Slycord lifted a fly ball to center field, and a diving Digmann made a fantastic catch to record the out. Digmann then fired to second for an inning-ending double play before Birocci could cross home to keep the tally at 2-1.
McGlaughlin provided her second RBI of the day to tie the game at two in the top of the fifth inning. Junior Quinn Morelock singled to right and sophomore Taylor Leichsenring re-entered at first base. Digmann was then hit by a pitch and McGlaughlin followed with a single up the middle to score Leichsenring.
An outstanding double play by Riemersma in the bottom of the sixth kept Drake off the scoreboard. With one out and a runner on first, Slycord hit a sharp ground ball that deflected off relief pitcher Amanda Zust’s glove. Riemersma fielded the ball to her left, drug her foot across the back of the base for the force and fired to McGlaughlin at first for an impressive double play.
Iowa broke the 2-2 tie in the top of the seventh inning. Back-to-back slap singles by Carmody and Lindsey Digmann to start the frame put runners on first and second with no outs. Riemersma then delivered a sharp single to left that allowed Carmody to score from second to take a 3-2 lead.
Drake responded with a run in its last at-bat to send the game to extra innings. Erin Mollahan singled to start the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and to third on a ground out. Mollahan scored on an RBI single up the middle by Kelsey Kahler.
Iowa had a golden chance to take the lead in the top of the 10th, but weren’t able to plate a run. Riemersma drew a walk and moved to second on a Drake error. She then advanced to third on a sacrifice and hustled home on a squeeze bunt by sophomore Katie Brown, but was barely tossed out at home on the play.
Two more outstanding defensive plays in the bottom of the 12th kept Iowa in the game. Riemersma made an excellent diving stop on a ground ball to her left and threw out Susan Slycord from her knees for the second out of the frame. Mollahan then drove a ball to the corner in left field, but junior Colleen McGlaughlin backhanded the ball and fired a strike to Carmody at second, who applied the tag to get out of the inning.
Iowa had its chances to score throughout the game, but stranded 13 runners on base.
Junior Brittany Weil started the game and threw three innings, allowing two runs on three hits. Zust tossed 8.1 innings in relief, allowing one earned run on three hits with five strikeouts.
Iowa has now played a combined 32 innings since Sunday. The Hawkeyes split a doubleheader with Minnesota Sunday, winning game one, 2-0, but falling in game two, 1-0 in 13 innings.
The Hawkeyes look to rebound against Northern Iowa Wednesday at Pearl Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.