Hawkeyes Split on Day 1 in Palm Springs

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Feb. 24, 2012

Box Score

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PALM SPRINGS, Calif. —The University of Iowa softball team split its two games Friday in the Cathedral City Classic. The Hawkeyes opened the day with a 7-1 victory over Fresno State before falling 2-1 to Oregon State in eight innings.

In the opening game of the day, Fresno State struck first; plating the game’s first run in the second inning. Third baseman Michelle Soloman hit a towering solo home run down the left field line to make the score 1-0.

The Hawkeyes knotted the game at one with an unearned run in the fourth inning before taking the 2-1 lead in the fifth. Freshman Megan Blank reached on an error to start the fourth before coming around to score on a second error of the inning — a botched pop fly to Bulldog second baseman Brooke Ortiz. Blank scored all the way from first base on the play.

In the fifth, sophomore Kayla Massey singled to tally Iowa’s first hit of the game before pinch runner Nikki Gentile stole second and advanced to third on an error.

Following a walk, Gentile was thrown out at the plate on a fielder’s choice before junior Johnnie Dowling had an infield single to make the score 2-1. In the bottom half of the inning, the Bulldogs loaded the bases with no outs, but Massey managed to get out of the inning unscathed by forcing a pop out and a pair of ground outs.

The Hawkeyes put the game out of reach with five runs in the top of the seventh inning. Freshman Melanie Gladden and junior Johnnie Dowling singled to open the inning before senior Katie Keim delivered a one-out single up the middle to make the score 3-1.

Senior Liz Watkins followed with a two-run single to centerfield to push across Iowa’s fourth and fifth runs. Following a walk by sophomore Brianna Luna, Massey had a two-run single up the middle to stretch the Hawkeyes’ lead to 7-1.

Massey picked up her fourth victory of the season, allowing six hits and one run in the complete game. She had three strikeouts to two walks in the game.

Dowling, Keim and Massey accounted for six of Iowa’s eight hits in the game. Dowling went 2-for-3 out of the leadoff position, while Keim and Massey each went 2-for-4.

The Hawkeyes began where they left off in the night cap against Oregon State. Dowling led off the game with a double to right center before Blank delivered an RBI double to the opposite gap to make the score 1-0.

Oregon State wouldn’t get on the scoreboard until the fifth inning. Ally Kutz drew a leadoff walk to open the frame before Ya Garcia followed with a single to put two runners on. The Beavers evened the game at one on Hannah Bouska’s infield RBI single.

The Hawkeyes left a pair of runners stranded in the top of the seventh inning. Dowling drew a one-out walk and Ashley Akers reached on a fielder’s choice, but OSU reliever Marina Demore got a groundout and pop out to end the inning.

After placing Keim on second base in the eighth inning, Iowa couldn’t push its first baseman across the plate. Watkins sacrificed Keim to third base with one out, but Massey and Luna struck out to end the frame.

The Beavers capitalized by scoring the game-winning run after placing Garcia at second base. Dani Gilmore’s fielder’s choice groundout moved Garcia to third, and Bouska followed with a hard grounder to knock in the winning run.

Lyon was the tough-luck loser, despite allowing just two runs (one earned) and three hits in the complete game. Demore picked up the win in relief, tossing five innings of one hit ball with four strikeouts.

Dowling paced Iowa at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a run scored.

Iowa (7-5) returns to action Saturday evening, facing Cal State Northridge at 7 p.m. (CT).