Hoosiers Down Iowa in Series Finale

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May 1, 2011

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Senior Stephanie Ochoa’s single with two outs in the top of the seventh broke up Indiana starter Morgan Melloh’s no-hit bid, but the University of Iowa softball team dropped the series finale against the Hoosiers, 5-0, on a wet Sunday afternoon at the IU Softball Field.

The game was delayed 37 minutes due to weather in the Bloomington area, but it didn’t faze Melloh, as she was sharp from the get go. The Fresno State transfer struck out 14 batters and allowed a total of four base runners in the game. One Hawkeye reached via an error in the first inning, and Iowa had a pair of runners reach via the walk in the third and fifth innings.

“Morgan Melloh is a very good pitcher,” said UI head coach Marla Looper. “She doesn’t have those strikeout numbers for no reason. I think today she was willing to walk a few. We were fishing at the plate today… it hurts you when you do that.”

Indiana scored what turned out to be the game-winning run in the bottom of the first inning on an Iowa miscue. Leadoff hitter Breanna Saucedo struck out to start the game, but reached on Chelsea Lyon’s wild pitch. After moving to second on a sacrifice bunt, the freshman came around to score when Liz Watkins’ errant throw to second base on a pickoff throw sailed into centerfield.

The Hoosiers added one run in the fourth and three in the fifth to break the game open. Sara Olson delivered the big hit for Indiana, as she connected on a towering two-run home run over the left field fence with two outs in the fifth.

Lyon suffered the loss in the circle, giving up five runs (four earned) on six hits in 4.2 innings. She had six strikeouts to four walks in falling to 14-11 on the year. Freshman Kayla Massey threw 1.1 innings in relief, where she allowed a single hit.

Iowa (26-21, 8-8) returns to action Wednesday afternoon at Pearl Field, hosting Illinois in a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m.

“We have to get back on the horse,” said Looper. “There are learning points in every game, every outing, every practice. We have to get back on the horse and put it back into action.”