April 24, 2014
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PLAY BALL
University of Iowa Softball continues its road stint with a three-game Big Ten series at Indiana, April 25-27. The series begins with a 4 p.m. (CT) game on Friday, continues with a 12 p.m. (CT) game on Saturday and concludes with a 12 p.m. (CT) contest on Sunday.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
A live audio stream of each game of Iowa’s series at Indiana will be available on the softball schedule page at hawkeyesports.com. Play-by-play announcer Jerry Kiwala will call the action.
FOLLOW ALONG
Fans can also follow along with each game through live stats (Gametracker). Gametracker links are available on the softball schedule page of hawkeyesports.com. For in-game updates, follow @IowaSoftball on Twitter and “like” Iowa Hawkeyes Softball on Facebook.
SERIES HISTORY
? Iowa leads Indiana in the all-time series, 60-35-1.
? In 2013, the Hawkeyes won the Big Ten series, 2-1, over the Hoosiers at Pearl Field in Iowa City. Indiana won game one, 1-0 after nine innings, but Iowa rebounded to win the final two games, 4-0 and 10-0 after five innings.
? In the last 10 games played, Iowa leads Indiana 6-4.
POWER SURGE
The Hawkeye offense knocked a season-high four home runs out of the park in their annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series game at Iowa State in just five innings of action. The game, which ended in an unconventional 6-6 tie, was stopped due to excessive rain, resumed and ultimately called early due to darkness.
Kayla Massey started it off with a two-run home run to left in the top of the second inning, and Whitney Repole opened the top of the third with a solo shot to right center in with a full count for the team’s second home run of the game. Iowa added two more in the top of the fourth when Brianna Luna and Megan Blank launched a solo shot and a two-run home run, respectively.
Iowa’s previous season-best was two home runs, a feat the team accomplished a week prior against Missouri at Pearl Field on April 16, 2014. The school record for home runs in a game is seven, which was set against Auburn in 2005.
WHO ARE THE HOOSIERS
Indiana owns a 14-33-1 overall record and a 4-13 mark heading into weekend action. The roster is comprised of five freshmen, six sophomores, three juniors and five seniors. The Hoosiers are led by sixth-year head coach Michelle Gardner, and she is assisted by Christy Hebert and Ben Sorden. Two starters are hitting above .300 this season including Breanna Saucedo (.347) and Kassi Farmer (.301). Lora Olson leads the team with a 4.20 ERA, 6-14 record, 20 games started and 118.1 innings pitched, while Meaghan Murphy leads the way with 87 strikeouts. Brook Boetjer has made a team-high 34 appearances in the circle with two saves. As a team, Indiana averages 3.33 runs per game and is hitting at a .252 clip this season.
NATIONALLY SPEAKING
? As a team, Iowa ranks eighth nationally in double plays per game (0.50), 42nd in triples per game (0.24) and 99th in doubles per game (1.26).
? Alyssa Navarro is 47th in sacrifice hits per game (0.23).
? Megan Blank is 56th in triples (3) and 83rd in triples per game (0.08).
BIG TEN CONFERENCE GAMES ONLY
? Iowa ranks eighth with a mark of 6-11 in the Big Ten standings heading into the weekend series at Indiana. The Hoosiers are currently 10th with a 4-13 record.
? Kayla Massey leads the league in innings pitched (71.2). She is also ranked second in looking strikeouts (20), fourth in games started (10), fifth in earned run average (2.25) and strikeouts (47), sixth in opponent batting average (.236) and ninth in appearances (10).
? Megan Blank leads the conference in triples (2) and assists (43). She is also fourth in fielding double plays (5) and 12th in on-base percentage (.482).
? Kaitlyn Mullarkey is one of 12 that owns a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in conference action. She is also eighth in putouts (92) and 10th in chances (95).
? Brianna Luna is eighth in total plate appearances (63) and at bats (55).
? Claire Fritsch is eighth in steal attempts (5) and assists (33).
? Alyssa Navarro is third in sacrifice bunts (5).
? Michelle Zoeller is second in assists (40).
CAREER CLIMB
Junior Megan Blank owned the top spot with an Iowa career batting average of .413 prior to the start of the 2014 season. She is currently ninth in career doubles (39), tied for 10th in career triples (10), 11th in career RBI (108) and 14th in career home runs (15). Senior Kayla Massey is also ranked in several career categories. She is fifth in complete games (83), seventh in innings pitched (698.2), eighth in games pitched (126), ninth in wins (51) and strikeouts (418) and 14th in home runs (15).
IN PURSUIT OF 100
Fourth-year head coach Marla Looper has a career coaching record of 97-99-1 (.495). She is just three wins from achieving her 100th win as a head coach. Seniors Brianna Luna, Kayla Massey and Michelle Zoeller and Looper’s coaching staff of Adrianna Baggetta, Stacy May-Johnson and Chelsey Carmody have been a part of each one of her career wins. Iowa recorded 27 wins in 2011, 27 wins in 2012, and added 30 wins in 2013. The team’s 30 wins last season was the highest win total since 2009 when the Hawkeyes posted a 42-19 mark.
ON DECK
UI softball plays its final five games of the regular season at Pearl Field in Iowa City next week. The Hawkeyes have two midweek contests, as they take on Western Illinois on Tuesday, April 29 and Northern Iowa on Wednesday, April 30. Iowa wraps up Big Ten action against Ohio State, May 2-4. Saturday’s game will be Alumni Day, and Sunday’s contest will be Senior Day for Brianna Luna, Kayla Massey and Michelle Zoeller.