May 17, 2008
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IOWA CITY, IA – Iowa junior Colleen McGlaughlin came through with a clutch game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Hawkeyes a 2-1 victory over Creighton. The victory was the Hawkeyes’ first NCAA Tournament victory since 2005 and the third time in the last five years they went to extra innings with Creighton in the NCAA’s post-season tournament.
On the heels of Friday night’s heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Missouri, both teams had their backs against the wall, knowing full well that their season ends with one more loss. But with a full count and two outs in the bottom of the eighth, McGlaughlin ripped a single up the middle to score Chelsey Carmody from second and keep the Hawkeyes alive in the NCAA Tournament.
Creighton (43-17) plated the first run of the game in the top of the third inning. No. 8 hitter Jessica Wakasugi reached on a bloop single, then advanced to second base on the sacrifice bunt from Liz McKewon. Lead-off hitter Jessi Jadlowski singled and Wakasugi scored from second on an Iowa (41-19) error to make the score 1-0.
Iowa starting pitcher Brittany Weil got out of a jam in the top of the sixth. Jadlowski led off the inning after reaching on an error, and after Dawson failed to advance the runner on a sacrifice bunt, Renae Sinkler reached on a bunt single, which allowed Jadlowski to advance to second base. With runners on first and second with only one out, Weil got TJ Eadus to pop out for the second out and walked Michelle Graner to load the bases. Creighton’s Cassidy Nee then fouled out to end the inning.
The Hawkeyes tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning with another RBI single from McGlaughlin. With one out, Carmody singled and pinch-runner Rachel West stole second base for her 19th steal on the year. Head Coach Gayle Blevins then decided to have Weil enter the game to hit and the junior took first base after being hit by a pitch. After Summer Downs struck out, McGlaughlin slapped a base hit up the middle to tie the game at 1-1.
Weil (27-14) was the winner for the Hawkeyes after throwing a complete-game four-hitter. The junior yielded only one unearned run while walking two and striking out one.
Creighton starter Tara Oltman (31-9) entered the game with an earned-run average of 0.94, but was the losing pitcher, giving up two runs and five hits through 7 2/3 innings. She yielded only two walks while striking out nine.
Iowa advances to play Long Beach State today at 5 p.m., with the winner advancing to the Regional final to play Missouri. Creighton is eliminated following their second consecutive extra-innings loss.
CREIGHTON 001 000 00 1 4 0IOWA 000 001 01 2 5 2
WP: Brittany Weil (27-14)
LP: Tara Oltman (31-9)
Strikeouts
Iowa: 9
Creighton: 2