May 3, 2008
- Big Ten Network: Programming Schedule
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
- gohawks.com
- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
Champaign, IL – The University of Iowa softball team topped Illinois, 5-2, Saturday in Champaign. The Hawkeyes hit three solo home runs en route to their 37th win of the season.
“We really played well and Brittany (Weil) pitched great,” Head Coach Gayle Blevins said. “It was key for us to answer back after falling behind early. We hit the ball hard today and it was great to see some of our hits leave the park.”
Illinois jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning. Angelena Mexicano reached on a Hawkeye error and Shanna Diller followed with a two-run home run for the early advantage.
Iowa responded with two solo home runs in the top of the second to tie the game at two. Sophomore Katie Brown smacked her fourth home run of the season over the right field fence and junior Erin Riemersma crushed her sixth home run to center to knot the score.
Junior Colleen McGlaughlin gave Iowa a 3-2 lead with a towering solo home run that had no problem clearing the left field fence.
The Hawkeyes tacked on two more runs in the top of the sixth for a 5-2 advantage. McGlaughlin singled up the middle and was lifted for junior pinch-runner Rachel West. Brown then doubled to the right-center gap and a hustling West beat the throw home for the first run of the frame. Sophomore Heidi Daumen replaced Brown at second and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by senior Emily Nichols. Riemersma then lofted a ball to deep sacrifice fly to center, allowing Daumen to score.
McGlaughlin and Brown each had two hits while Brown and Riemersma added two RBI.
Junior Brittany Weil had an impressive outing against the potent Illinois offense. She limited the Fighting Illini, who leads the conference in hits, to just three while striking out six with no walks. After giving up the home run in the first, Weil sat down 14 of the next 15 batters and struck out five of six between the fourth and six innings. She also struck out the side in the fifth.
The Hawkeyes will play their final regular season home game Sunday at Illinois. First pitch is scheduled for noon.