Top-Ranked Alabama Downs Iowa in Nightcap

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Feb. 22, 2013

Box Score

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Iowa softball team dropped a 5-0 decision at No. 1 Alabama on Friday night in its second game of the Bama Bash. The contest, which was delayed over an hour and a half due to rain, was held at Rhoads Stadium on the campus of the University of Alabama.

The Hawkeyes are 1-1 in the Bama Bash after defeating Winthrop in the opener, 2-1.

Iowa (8-4) missed a golden opportunity in the opening frame. Johnnie Dowling led off the game with a single up the middle and stole second with one away. Megan Blank lined a base hit to center, moving Dowling to third, but a groundout to third and a strikeout ended the threat.

“It was frustrating,” said UI head coach Marla Looper about not taking advantage of early scoring chances. “We did not take advantage of our great speed on the bases. We have to take advantage of those opportunities. They are a great ball club, but we had our chances.

“I would like to walk away saying we gave our best effort, but we didn’t tonight.”

The Crimson Tide (13-0), the defending national champions, used a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the second to grab an early 1-0 lead.

The Hawkeyes let another scoring chance slip away in the top of the third, stranding two runners. Alabama extended its lead to 3-0 in the bottom half with two, two-out RBI singles.

The home team used a sacrifice fly in the fourth to push its advantage to 4-0. Alabama added a single tally in the bottom of the sixth to make the final score, 5-0.

Kayla Massey started for the Hawkeyes. The junior took the loss, surrendering five runs (four earned) on eight hits in six innings. She struck out three.

Jackie Traina started for the Crimson Tide and earned the win, moving to 7-0 on the season. She allowed five Hawkeye hits in seven complete innings.

The Hawkeyes will face the same two teams (Winthrop, Alabama) on Saturday. Iowa and the Eagles will meet at 11 a.m. (CT), and the Hawkeyes and Crimson Tide will face off at 1:30 p.m.

“We have to come out and be the aggressor,” said Looper. “We talk about that over and over, but that is exactly what we have to do. We need to take advantage of our opportunities.”