March 30, 2010
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IOWA CITY – On Deck
The University of Iowa softball team travels to Ames to take on intra-state rival Iowa State Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Hawkeyes on the Radio
Iowa’s matchup with Iowa State Wednesday can be heard on AM-800 KXIC. Rob Brooks will have the call.
Live Audio from Your Computer
You can follow the Hawkeyes from your computer via the All-Access page at hawkeyesports.com. Rob Brooks, the voice of Iowa softball, will be calling the action live at all home and away events for the remainder of the season. Hawkeye All-Access is a subscription service that charges $9.95 per month.
Hawkeyes on the Web
Fans that can’t make it to Pearl Field for the home opener 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.
Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series
Wednesday’s game will be the final event in the 2009-10 Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series. Iowa State currently leads this year’s series, 14-11. Two points will be on the line Wednesday.
Scouting Iowa State
The Iowa State Cyclones are 21-13 overall and 1-1 in Big 12 play.
Heidi Kidwell leads the team with a .368 batting average. Alex Johnson has a team-best four home runs, while Courtney Wray has a team-high 23 RBI.
Rachel Zabriskie is 17-7 with a 2.16 ERA in the circle. She leads the team in innings pitched (139.2) and strikeouts (181). Zabriskie has appeared in 26 games with 20 starts and has 15 complete games.
Series Notes
? Iowa leads the all-time series, 30-29-1. The two teams met in the opening weekend of play at the Metrodome Classic, with Iowa State winning, 8-2.
? The Hawkeyes have won five-straight in Ames, dating back to the 2001 season.
? Iowa has won six of the last seven matchups with the Cyclones.
Watkins Named co-Big Ten Player of the Week
Sophomore catcher Liz Watkins was named co-Big Ten Player of the Week March 29 for her efforts in Iowa’s two-game sweep at Michigan State.
Watkins batted an impressive .857 (6-7) with one home run, two doubles and three RBI against the Spartans. Watkins also recorded an eye-popping 1.571 slugging percentage and a .875 on-base percentage.
Watkins started the weekend by going 2-for-3 Saturday. She followed with a perfect 4-for-4 outing Sunday, including a solo home run in the first inning. She added the game-winning RBI in the sixth with a line drive to the left field fence.
Schuelke Does Some Yard Work
Junior Jenny Schuelke went 3-for-6 against the Spartans last weekend, with two of those hits being home runs.
Schuelke’s first round-tripper was a clutch, two-run home run to give Iowa a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning in Game One against the Spartans. Her second long-ball was a two-run home run in the first inning of Game Two.
Schuelke has four home runs and is tied for the team lead with 17 RBI this season.
Calming the Clones
Senior Katie Brown must really enjoy playing against Iowa’s intra-state rival.
Brown owns a .500 (5-10) batting average in four matchups with Iowa State, including two home runs, two doubles, six RBI and three runs scored.
Brown also has two game-winning hits against the Cyclones. Brown smacked a pinch-hit, two-RBI double in the fourth inning that gave Iowa the win over the Cyclones in Ames during the 2007 season. In 2008, Brown roped a game-winning, two-run home run in the sixth inning to give Iowa the win at Pearl Field.
Triple Crown Hawkeye?
As the season rolls along, so does junior Chelsey Carmody. The St. Louis, MO native leads Iowa in two of three triple crown categories, and is tied for the team lead in the other. Carmody is batting .366, has six home runs and is tied with Liz Watkins, Jenny Schuelke and Katie Brown for the team lead with 17 RBI.
Where’s Digs?
Senior Lindsey Digmann has been a fixture in the Iowa lineup, but not in one particular place. After starting the first 24 games at third base, Digs has seen time in left field, center field and as the designated player. She has also bounced around the lineup – hitting leadoff (.321), second (.412) and ninth (.333) in the batting order.
Welcome Home Amanda Zust
Senior Amanda Zust kicked off the 2010 home opener in spectacular fashion March 21. Zust led Iowa to an 8-0 win over South Dakota by pitching her second career no-hitter. She struck out a season-high eight hitters while tossing her 11th complete game.
The Big Ten honored Zust for her efforts by naming the senior Big Ten Pitcher of the Week.
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 has banged out four triples in 2010.
Diamonds are Forever
Iowa boasts four position players that have started every game this season. Those players include Lindsey Digmann, Jenny Schuelke, Katie Brown and Johnnie Dowling.
Chelsey Carmody, Taylor Leichsenring and Katie Keim have all started 28 games.
Opponents in the Polls
Seven Iowa opponents are ranked in both the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 and ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 preseason polls.
Michigan (2/3), UCLA (5/5), Arizona State (7/10), Alabama (8/6), Georgia Tech (10/7), Illinois (18/20) and Ohio State (21/23) are all ranked.