Keim Puts Iowa Past Long Beach State

March 7, 2009

LAKEWOOD, CA – The University of Iowa softball team defeated Long Beach State, 3-0, Saturday in the Long Beach Tournament. Iowa improves its record to 14-4 overall with the win.

Iowa took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth, thanks to a clutch pinch-hit by freshman Katie Keim. Junior Katie Brown started the inning with a single to left and senior Rachel West took her place at first. One batter later, sophomore Chelsey Carmody roped a single through the right side, putting runners on first and second with one out. Freshman Missy Mazur then hit a ground ball to second, but Carmody avoided the tag, keeping Iowa out of the inning-ending double play. Keim made the missed tag sting, drilling a two-RBI single to left field for the first two runs of the contest.

The Hawkeyes tacked on another run in the top of the seventh for a 3-0 lead. Freshman Liz Watkins hit a deep shot to center that bounced off the wall for an easy double. She scored later in the inning with an RBI single up the middle by senior Erin Riemersma.

Long Beach State threatened early in the game by loading the bases in both the second and third innings, but couldn’t plate a run. The 49ers had the bags full with only one out in the second, but Zust recorded a big strikeout for the second out and took a ground ball back to the plate for a force out, ending the frame.

Zust once again took care of things herself in the third with two outs and the bases jammed, taking a ground ball back to the circle over to first for the out.

Junior Amanda Zust picked up her second win of the weekend, throwing 5.1 innings. She allowed three hits with six strikeouts and three walks. Senior Brittany Weil tossed 1.2 innings for her second save of the season.

Riemersma, along with junior Taylor Leichsenring, each had two hits to lead the Hawkeye offense.

Iowa will wrap up action at the Long Beach Tournament Saturday at 5:30 p.m. (CT) against Florida International.