April 11, 2010
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IOWA CITY – The University of Iowa softball team was defeated Sunday, 2-0 at Pearl Field by the Purdue Boilermakers. Iowa dropped to 20-14-1 overall and suffered its first loss in Big Ten play, moving to 6-1.
“We were really guessing at the plate today,” Head Coach Gayle Blevins said. “Chelsea (Lyon) had a solid performance in the circle and our defense was pretty good behind her. We need to do a better job of capitalizing on chances and being more aggressive at the plate.”
Lyon dropped a tough decision in another pitcher’s duel, allowing just three hits and no earned runs. Lyon struck out four with one walk and did not allow an earned run, improving her streak of innings without allowing an earned run to 42.1. The Broken Arrow, OK, native sat down the Boilermakers in order in five of the seven innings, including the last four frames in a row.
Purdue’s Suzie Rzegocki picked up the win, allowing four hits with seven strikeouts.
Purdue scored the only runs of the game in the top of the second inning, both of which were unearned. Iowa’s only error of the game allowed Purdue’s leadoff hitter to reach. Two batters later, Ashley Barr tripled to right field, plating the first run. Shelby Krammer then singled to score the second run.
Iowa had two scoring chances in the contest but couldn’t put a crooked number on the scoreboard. Senior Katie Brown was hit by a pitch with two outs in the bottom of the first and moved to second on a single by sophomore Liz Watkins. Junior Jenny Schuelke drew a walk to load the bases, but the threat was ended when Watkins was forced out at third on a ground ball off the bat of junior Stephanie Ochoa.
Iowa’s other chance came in the fourth frame. Schuelke roped a leadoff double to left and was replaced by freshman Ashley Akers at second. After Akers was sacrificed to third, two strikeouts ended the inning.
Iowa will travel to Madison Wednesday for a doubleheader date with the Wisconsin Badgers. Game one is scheduled for 4 p.m. and both games can be heard on AM-800 KXIC and hawkeyesports.com. Rob Brooks, the familiar voice of Iowa softball, will call the action.