Road Swing Continues at Matador Classic

March 2, 2010

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ON DECK
The University of Iowa softball team travels to Northridge, CA this weekend to compete in the Matador Classic. Below is Iowa’s tournament schedule. All times listed are central.

Friday, March 5
at Cal State Northridge 3 p.m.
at Cal State Northridge 5 p.m.

Saturday, March 6
vs. Saint Mary’s 11 a.m.
vs. Cal State Bakersfield 1 p.m.

MATADOR CLASSIC TOURNAMENT NOTES
? Iowa’s Mar. 5 doubleheader with Cal State Northridge will mark the first ever meeting between the two schools. ? Iowa’s Mar. 6 contest with Cal State Bakersfield will mark the first ever meeting between the two schools. ? Iowa is 3-2 all-time vs. St. Mary’s. The two teams split a double header the last time they met in 1998. Iowa won Game One, 13-5, in six innings, but St. Mary’s bounced back to defeat the Hawkeyes, 2-1, in Game Two.

HAWKEYES ON THE WEB
Fans that can’t make it to Northridge, CA can follow the action at hawkeyesports.com, where live stats (Gametracker) will be available. The “GT” link can be found under the calendar tab on the right-hand side of the hawkeyesports.com home page, or on the softball schedule page.

CARMO, CARMO, CARMO, CARMO, CARMO, CA CARMODY
Junior Chelsey Carmody continued her hot hitting at last week’s NFCA Leadoff Classic. She hit .429 in five games and currently leads the Hawkeyes with a .442 average. The Missouri native had just two career homeruns entering 2010 but has blasted four long-balls through the first 14 games of the season. Her 33 total bases are the third-highest total in the conference.

LINDSEY AT THE BAT
Senior Lindsey Digmann has hit safely in seven of Iowa’s nine games this season. The Marion, IA native leads Iowa in runs scored (7) and is tied for the team lead with 13 hits, the fourth highest total in the Big Ten. She also leads the Hawkeyes with four stolen bases in four attempts.

POWER SURGE
After going homerless in the season opener, the Hawkeyes hit one homerun in nine straight games. Iowa’s power surge was halted Feb. 26 vs. Maryland. Below is Iowa’s HR chart: Date, Opp., HR.
2/12 Western Illinois Jenny Schuelke (1)
2/13 Drake Katie Brown (1)
2/13 Iowa State Katie Brown (2)
2/14 Drake Chelsey Carmody (1)
2/19 Texas State Chelsey Carmody (2)
2/19 Rutgers Liz Watkins (1)
2/20 Illinois State Chelsey Carmody (3)
2/20 #5 Arizona State Chelsey Carmody (4)
2/26 #9 Alabama Katie Brown (3)

TRIPLE THREAT
Sophomore Liz Watkins played in 56 games last season without recording a single three-base hit. Apparently eager to avoid repeating such a feat, the Taylor Ridge, IL native banged out two triples in Iowa’s opening weekend and now currently leads the Big Ten in three-baggers.

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
Iowa boasts six position players that have started every game at their respective positions this season. Around the horn, Iowa’s iron-women include Katie Brown (1b), Katie Keim (SS), Lindsey Digmann (3b), Jenny Schuelke (LF), Johnnie Dowling (CF) and Taylor Leichsenring (RF). Liz Watkins (C) and Chelsey Carmody (2b) have started 13 of Iowa’s 14 games.

LYON ROARS AGAIN
Freshman Chelsea Lyon pitched her first career complete game in Iowa’s 3-1 win over NC State. She K’d three, allowed just three hits and retired 17 straight to earn her third win of the season. After dropping the season-opener for the first time in five seasons, the Oklahoma native pitched Iowa to its first `W’ of 2010 with a veteran performance. In her collegiate debut, Lyon allowed just five hits in six-plus innings while collecting the win in the Hawkeyes’ 2-1 victory over Western Illinois.

OPPONENTS IN THE POLLS
Six Iowa opponents are ranked in both the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 and ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 preseason polls. UCLA (5/5), Michigan (7/7), Alabama (8/6), Arizona State (9/11), Georgia Tech (12/9) and Ohio State (17/14) are all ranked. Northwestern is receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA and ESPN.com/USA Softball polls.

THREE-FOR-FOUR
The Hawkeyes return three of their top four hitters from a 2009. Senior Katie Brown, junior Chelsey Carmody and sophomore Liz Watkins hit .337 collectively in 168 combined games.

ROAD WARRIORS
Iowa is scheduled to play its first 26 games away from Iowa City. The Hawkeyes open the home portion of their schedule with a doubleheader against South Dakota Mar. 20 at Pearl Field. The Hawkeyes ran up an impressive 31-13 record outside of Iowa City last season, including a 13-9 mark in true road contests and an 18-4 record in neutral site games.

SHUFFLING THE DECK
The Hawkeyes have shifted around the diamond since 2009. Lindsey Digmann has moved from left field to third base. Katie Keim has rotated around the diamond, moving from third base to shortstop, while Katie Brown saw action on the mound and at first base during the Hawkeyes’ opening weekend.

NOW BATTING FOR IOWA
The Hawkeyes welcome eight newcomers to the 2010 roster. Juniors Stephanie Ochoa and Sarah Spiering hit campus after two celebrated careers at the Junior College level. The Hawkeyes have six freshmen on this year’s roster, including Iowa natives Ashley Akers, Johnnie Dowling, Sam Valentine and Ashley Vanderloo. Oklahoma native Chelsea Lyon and Oregon native Jordan Goschie round out the freshmen class.

METRODOME ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS
Juniors Chelsey Carmody and Jenny Schuelke were named to the all-tournament team at last weekend’s Metrodome Tournament. Carmody batted .400 with a homerun and a pair of RBI while Schuelke hit .385 and belted the game-winning homerun in Iowa’s 2-1 victory over Western Illinois.

RETURNING AWARD WINNERS
Sophomore Liz Watkins was given three awards at the 2009 softball banquet; Most Improved, Coaches and Peg Augspurger Hawkeye Heart award. Sophomore Katie Keim shared the Most Improved award with Watkins. Seniors Katie Brown and Amanda Zust shared the team’s Golden Glove award.