Comeback Effort Falls Short at Coastal Carolina

Feb. 28, 2015

IOWA15

CONWAY, S.C. — The University of Iowa softball team scored three runs in the final three innings, but fell, 6-5, to Coastal Carolina on Sunday morning. The loss drops the Hawkeyes to 4-11 on the season, while the Chanticleers improve to 7-7.

“They didn’t give up,” said UI head coach Marla Looper. “They finally made some adjustments with the starting pitcher and put a couple on the board. We continued to fight, we didn’t give up, and we didn’t give in.”

The Hawkeyes took advantage of Coastal Carolina miscues in the top of the first. Junior Kaitlyn Mullarkey was awarded first after a hit by pitch. Redshirt junior Sammi Gyerman followed, reaching on an error by the Chanticleer shortstop. One batter later, an error by the Coastal Carolina center fielder gave Iowa a 2-0 lead.

Coastal Carolina came right back in the bottom of first. The Chanticleers plated two runs on a single and a home run to right to tie the game, 2-2.

The Chanticleers put up three more runs in the bottom of the third (four hits and a walk) and another in the fourth (two singles and two walks) to take a 6-2 lead.

Iowa rallied in the fifth, plating a pair of runs. Junior Claire Fritsch reached on a fielder’s choice with two outs, before Mullarkey sent an RBI double off the top of the center field wall. Senior Holly Hoffman followed with an RBI single to right to pull the Hawkeyes within two, 6-4.

Katy Taylor started an Iowa rally in the seventh with an infield single. With two outs, Mullarkey sent a double up the middle — her second double of the game — that scored Taylor from first and pulled the Hawkeyes within one. Iowa’s comeback effort fell just short; however, as the Chanticleers held on to win the game 6-5.

Shayla Starkenburg (0-2) took the loss in the circle. The redshirt junior allowed five earned runs on six hits and a walk. She struck out seven. Sophomore Ashley Yoways and junior Elizabeth Wiegand also saw time in the circle. Yoways allowed an earned run on three hits and two walks in an inning and 2/3, while Wiegand held the Chanticleers hitless in 1 and 1/3.

Mullarkey led the Hawkeyes at the plate with a 2-for-3 effort. The Park Ridge, Illinois, native registered a career-high two doubles and scored two of Iowa’s five runs.

Five Hawkeyes hit .400 or better on the weekend. Taylor led the team with a .563 average, while Hoffman and sophomore Cheyenne Pratt both hit .500. Mullarkey (.438) and Fritsch (.400) also batted in the .400s.

“We have to believe that we can overcome these one-run losses,” said Looper. “Last weekend we struggled to score runs. This weekend we scored them, but we gave up too many. If we can get all facets of our game together, or even two of the three on any given day, then we are going to get good outcomes.”

Iowa returns to action when it travels to Tulsa, Oklahoma, for the Tulsa Tournament on March 5-6.