Hawkeyes Can't Hold Off Cyclones

Stats

April 18, 2012

Box Score

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AMES, Iowa — Iowa State scored two runs in its final at-bat to rally for a 4-3 victory over the University of Iowa softball team in an Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series match-up Wednesday night at the Southwest Athletic Complex.

“It is heartbreaking,” said UI head coach Marla Looper. “We stayed in control most of that ball game, unfortunately, that last inning we got a little predictable on the mound and battery. They did what they needed to do. They put the ball into play, found holes, and we couldn’t keep them from scoring two.”

Trailing 3-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, the Cyclones solved UI starter Chelsea Lyon. The Hawkeye junior had retired 10 straight ISU batters before Jordan Smith led off the frame with a single to left field.

With one out, pinch hitter Amandine Habben hit the first pitch she saw up the middle to put two runners on base. Lexi Slater followed with a single to left field to load the bases before Sara Davison had an RBI single to centerfield to tie the game at three and chase Lyon from the game.

Iowa reliever Kayla Massey worked ahead in the count to Erica Miller before the Cyclone first baseman hit a 1-2 pitch off her hands into shallow right field to plate Jennifer Drahozal for the game-winning run.

Lyon suffered the loss, allowing four runs on six hits in 6.1 innings of work. She had six strikeouts to four walks in the game.

The Hawkeyes got on the scoreboard first, connecting on back-to-back solo home runs in the second inning. Senior Katie Keim hit a towering fly ball over the short porch in left field (190 feet) to make the score 1-0. Fellow senior Liz Watkins then muscled an opposite field home run down right field. It was Keim’s team-leading sixth and Watkins second home run of the season.

Iowa State tied the game at two with one swing of the bat in the third. Following a one-out walk by Davison, Davis hit a two-run long ball deep to centerfield to even the tally at two.

The Hawkeyes regained their advantage in the top of the six courtesy of their third home run of the game. Freshman Megan Blank hit a solo home run — her second of the season — just over the right field fence, making the score 3-2. Iowa nearly went back-to-back for the second time in the game, but Smith went over the fence to rob Keim in left field.

Iowa’s 3-4-5 hitters accounted for five of the team’s seven hits. Keim and Watkins both went 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored.

Iowa (17-22) returns to action Saturday in East Lansing, facing Michigan State in a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. (CT).

“We have to find a way to get back on that horse and boost ourselves up by the boot straps,” said Looper. “We have to go in and take care of Michigan State. We have a heavy task on our hand to regroup after today’s game.”