Feb. 14, 2009
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TEMPE, AZ – The University of Iowa softball team plated five runs in the bottom of the third to defeat Illinois State, 6-2, Saturday in the Littlewood Classic. Iowa now stands at 6-2 overall.
Illinois State grabbed an early 2-0 lead in its first at-bat. Hawkeye starter Amanda Zust walked the bases loaded with two outs and Katie Mathis singled up the middle, driving in both runs.
Iowa responded with a five-spot in the third to take a 5-2 lead. Sophomore Jenny Schuelke started the rally with a single and freshman Liz Watkins then attempted a sacrifice bunt. Illinois State committed an error on the play, allowing both runners to reach safely. Senior Rachel West then took Watkins’ place on the bases and senior Sam Heinzman loaded the bases with an infield single. Sophomore Chelsey Carmody drove in the first run of the frame with a fielder’s choice RBI, plating Schuelke. Junior Taylor Leichsenring recorded Iowa’s second infield single of the game which scored West for a 2-1 Hawkeye lead. Illinois State pitcher Amber Smith missed the catcher’s glove with a wild pitch, allowing all the runners to move include Heinzman, who scored for a 3-1 advantage. Carmody and Leichsenring then crossed home off a bunt from freshman Katie Keim for the final runs of the inning.
Junior Katie Brown drove in the final run of the contest in the bottom of the fifth. Leichsenring tallied yet another infield single and moved to second on a ground ball. She scored on an RBI double up the middle by Brown for a 6-2 lead.
Leichsenring led the way for Iowa, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Junior Amanda Zust upped her record to 2-1 in her first complete game of the season. She allowed two earned runs on four hits with five strikeouts.
Iowa will take on the defending NCAA champion and No. 3 ranked Arizona State Sun Devils at approximately 4:30 p.m. (CT) Saturday.