Massey, Watkins Lead Iowa to Victory

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Feb. 11, 2011

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ATHENS, Ga. — Freshman Kayla Massey pitched a complete game shutout, and junior Liz Watkins provided the offense with a fourth inning solo home run to lift the University of Iowa softball team to a 1-0 victory over Maryland on Friday afternoon at the Red and Black Showcase.

“It was good to get our first win of the year against Maryland, as they are a good, aggressive, scrappy team,” said UI head coach Marla Looper. “We didn’t get as many hits as we liked, but we got one key one and fortunately, that was able to stand.”

In her first career start, Massey scattered four Terrapin hits over seven innings, while striking out nine. The California native pitched in-and-out of trouble throughout the game, as she forced Maryland into stranding eight runners on base.

“I think Kayla did a really good job,” said Looper. “She came in in relief earlier in the day (against Lipscomb), and I thought she got her jitters out. She did a good job of spotting the ball and mixing it in and out.”

Watkins connected on her first home run of the season with two outs in the fourth inning to put the Hawkeyes on the board, but it could have been more.

Chelsey Carmody opened the inning with a single before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Carmody, however, was tagged out on Johnnie Dowling’s rocket to Maryland shortstop Kathy McLaughlin, who caught Carmody in no-man’s land.

After Dowling was gunned down trying to steal second base, Watkins connected for her 15th career home run, as the ball sailed over the left center field fence.

The Terrapins put runners on base in each of the final three innings, but Massey and the Iowa defense kept them at bay. In the seventh, Maryland had runners on first and second base with two outs before the Hawkeye freshman struck out Vangie Galindo to end the game.

Iowa (1-1) returns to action tomorrow morning against East Carolina beginning at 8 a.m. (CT).