Softball Set for No. 18 Missouri, Cy-Hawk Showdown

April 19, 2016

THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa softball team hosts No. 18 Missouri for a midweek doubleheader on Tuesday before traveling to Ames, Iowa, to take on in-state foe Iowa State on Wednesday. Game one of Tuesday’s doubleheader is set for 3 p.m. (CT) at Bob Pearl Field, with game two following. Wednesday’s Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series showdown is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. (CT) at the Cyclone Sports Complex in Ames, Iowa.

TUESDAY PROMOTIONS
The first 250 fans at Tuesday’s doubleheader will receive a free Iowa softball rally towel.

WATCH IT LIVE
Both games of Tuesday’s doubleheader will be streamed live online via BTN Plus. To see if your cable package gives you access to BTN Plus content, sign up for BTN Plus, or learn more about it, visit btn2go.com. A live stream of Wednesday’s contest will be available on cyclones.tv. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/1WbGOg6.

LISTEN/FOLLOW ALONG
Live audio is available for all three games on Hawkeye All-Access at hawkeyesports.com. Play-by-play announcer Rob Brooks will call the action from Bob Pearl Field, and Zach Mackey will have the call from the Cyclone Sports Complex. Live stats are also available on the softball schedule page on hawkeyesports.com.

FOLLOW THE HAWKEYES
For an inside look at the Iowa softball program and access to exclusive coverage, follow @IowaSoftball on Twitter and “like” the official page on Facebook, facebook.com/iowahawkeyessoftball.

SCOUTING MISSOURI
•No. 18 Missouri owns a 29-12 overall record and a 6-9 mark in SEC action. •Seven Tigers are currently hitting above three hundred, including: Sami Fagan (.430), Taylor Gadbois (.419), Emily Crane (.397), Regan Nash (.368), Chloe Rathburn (.352), and Rylee Pierce (.322). •Danielle Baumgartner leads the team with a 2.05 ERA. She owns a 12-3 record in the circle.

THE SERIES
•Missouri owns an 8-14 advantage in the all-time series. •The Tigers defeated the Hawkeyes, 10-2, in six innings in Columbia, Missouri.

SCOUTING IOWA STATE
•The Cyclones own a 15-24 overall record and a 0-6 mark in Big 12 Conference action. •Four Cyclones are hitting above .300 on the season, including: Niki Turner (.400), Brittany Gomez (.394), Aly Cappaert (.348), and Cathlin Bingham (.326). •Emma Hylen leads the Cyclones in the circle with a 3.86 ERA and a 7-10 record.

THE CY-HAWK SERIES
•Iowa leads Iowa State in the annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series, 12-10. A win over the Cyclones on Wednesday would seal the series win for the Hawkeyes. •Since its inception in 2004, Iowa has won the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk series five times. The Cyclones clinched their sixth victory last season. •Iowa softball owns a 32-29-2 advantage in the all-time series. The Cyclones defeated the Hawkeyes, 5-4, at Pearl Field last season.

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
•A win over the Cyclones on Wednesday would seal the in-state sweep for the Hawkeyes. •Iowa defeated Northern Iowa, 6-3, on April 12 at Bob Pearl Field, before registering a walk-off win over Drake in eight innings on April 13.

IN THE RANKINGS – B1G
Four Big Ten teams appear in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Division I Softball Collegiate Top 25 poll released on April 12. No. 2 Michigan, No. 21 Minnesota, and No. 23 Ohio State are ranked within the top 25, while Nebraska is receiving 16 votes.

TAKING ON THE BEST
•Seven of Iowa’s 2016 opponents are coming off a 2015 NCAA Tournament appearance. •Iowa is scheduled to play 15 games against those opponents this season. •The teams include: Louisville, Texas, Nebraska, Northwestern, Missouri, Indiana State, and Minnesota.

ATTENDANCE RECORD
The Hawkeyes played in front of 2,192 fans at Pearl Field last weekend. The mark set a new three-game weekend series attendance record.

.500 +
Redshirt senior Holly Hoffman and junior Claire Fritsch each hit .500 or better in a three-game series against Wisconsin last weekend. Hoffman led the team with a .556 clip, while Fritsch hit .500 over the three-game set.

WIEGAND DELIVERS
Junior Elizabeth Wiegand registered the complete-game win over Wisconsin on April 16. After surrendering a pair of runs on four hits in the top of the first inning, Wiegand (6-9) settled in. The Moscow Mills, Missouri, native gave up just three hits in the final six innings, and tied her season-high with six strikeouts.

CLUTCH MULLARKEY
Down by two in the bottom of the seventh inning against Drake on April 13, junior Claire Fritsch started a two-out rally when she reached on an error by the Drake second baseman. It proved to be costly as junior Kaitlyn Mullarkey blasted the game-tying, two-run home run over the wall in left center to send the game into extras. Mullarkey came through with the bases loaded in the top of the eighth, hitting a rocket off the glove of the Drake first baseman that scored the game-winning run.

6-RUN 4TH LEADS HAWKEYES PAST UNI
The Hawkeyes put up six runs in the bottom of the fourth to defeat Northern Iowa on April 12. Sophomore Angela Schmiederer led off the inning with a single, before senior Whitney Repole and freshman Mallory Kilian were both hit by pitch. Sophomore Sarah Kurtz came through with an RBI single to put the Hawkeyes on the board. After a wild pitch allowed Repole to score, Claire Fritsch reached on an error that plated Kilian. Junior Kaitlyn Mullarkey came through with an RBI double to left, before redshirt junior Sammi Gyerman plated two more runs on a single up the middle.

SCHMIEDERER MAKES HISTORY
Sophomore Angela Schmiederer‘s two-run home run against Northwestern on April 9 hit the top of the roof of McGaw Hall — the building that sits beyond the left field wall at Drysdale Field in Evanston, Illinois. Schmiederer became the first opposing player in history to hit the roof of McGaw Hall.

4 HOME RUNS
The Hawkeyes registered four home runs in game one against Northwestern on April 9. Junior Kaitlyn Mullarkey hit a two-run shot in the top of the first inning. One batter later, redshirt senior Holly Hoffman followed with a solo blast. Hoffman marked a new career high with her second blast of the game in the top of the fifth, before sophomore Angela Schmiederer hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh.

HOFFMAN IN B1G ACTION
Holly Hoffman is swinging the hot bat for the Hawkeyes in conference action. The redshirt senior is hitting .500 in Big Ten play. In 13 conference games, Hoffman is slugging .976. She has registered 10 extra-base hits (6 doubles, 1 triple, and 4 home runs) during that span.

IN THE RECORD BOOKS
•Junior Kaitlyn Mullarkey is tied for 14th on Iowa’s all-time list with eight home runs this season. •Mullarkey’s 14 career blasts ties her for 18th on Iowa’s all-time career home runs list.

AROUND THE BIG TEN
•The Hawkeyes rank fifth in the conference with 48 stolen bases. •Iowa pitchers have struck out 76 batters looking this season — the second most in the Big Ten. •Junior Kaitlyn Mullarkey is tied for first in the Big Ten with 11 hit by pitches, fifth in triples (3), ninth in stolen bases (12), and 10th in home runs (8).

IN B1G ACTION
•Iowa is tied for third in the conference with 15 stolen bases in Big Ten games. •The Hawkeyes rank sixth in the Big Ten with 16 home runs in conference games this season. •Iowa pitchers have struck out 22 batters looking in conference action — the fourth most in the conference. •Iowa has turned six double plays in Big Ten action this season — tied for the sixth-most in the conference. •Senior Holly Hoffman ranks second in the Big Ten with a .500 batting average in conference games. Hoffman also ranks second in total bases (41), third in hits (21) and doubles (6), fourth in slugging percentage (.976), fifth in RBIs (15), and sixth in on-base percentage (.563).

HOFFMAN BATS 1.000
Holly Hoffman had a career game at the plate in game one of a doubleheader against Nebraska on April 6. The redshirt senior registered career-bests in hits (4) and doubles (2). The Osceola, Indiana, native went 4-for-4 with two singles, two doubles, and two RBIs. Hoffman ranks 11th in the Big Ten, hitting .500 in conference games this season.

POWER SURGE
After registering 11 extra-base hits in all of 2015 (59 games), junior Kaitlyn Mullarkey has hit 20 in 40 games this season. The Park Ridge, Illinois, native leads the team in home runs (8), and triples (3), and is tied for first on the team in doubles (9).

INCREASED SPEED
•After stealing 18 bags in all of 2015, Iowa has swiped 48 bases in 40 games this season. •Iowa is 48-for-55 on the base paths this season. •Junior Kaitlyn Mullarkey leads the team with 12 stolen bases, while junior Claire Fritsch and sophomore Katy Taylor each have nine.

WOOD PLATES FIVE
Allie Wood registered home runs in back-to-back at bats against Purdue on April 3. The sophomore hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the second, before hitting a three-run shot in the third. She accounted for five of Iowa’s 10 RBIs in the contest.

MS. UTILITY
Sophomore Angela Schmiederer has registered 30 starts at three different positions this season. She has made 12 starts behind the plate, 14 in the outfield, and four as Iowa’s designated player. Ten of Schmiederer’s 25 hits this season have been for extra bases, including a game-winning grand slam against Lamar on March 6.

SCHMIEDERER SLAM
Angela Schmiederer registered the game-winning grand slam against Lamar on March 6. The sophomore entered the game as a pinch hitter in the top of the fifth. After singling and scoring a run, Schmiederer remained in the game as Iowa’s offensive player. An RBI fielder’s choice and the game-winning grand slam followed. She registered a career-high five RBIs on the afternoon.

THE DUGOUT
The Hawkeyes re-launched their blog, The Dugout, for the 2016 season. The blog will reach out to fans and provide them with the opportunity to connect with the student-athletes, coaches, and staff who work hard every day to make the Hawkeye softball program a success. The Dugout aims to deliver unique insight into the lives of the Iowa softball team. Each week, The Dugout will feature a different softball student-athlete. To see the latest post, visit hawkeyesports.com.

NEWCOMERS
•Junior transfer Elizabeth Wiegand joins the team after spending two seasons with UT Martin. Wiegand appeared in 26 games with 21 starts for the Skyhawks in 2015. She led UT Martin in ERA (2.94), wins (12), appearances (26), starts (21), complete games (16), shutouts (3), innings pitched (135.2), and strikeouts (63) as a sophomore. •Sophomore transfer Katy Taylor joins the Hawkeyes after spending a season at Labette Community College. Taylor helped the Cardinals to a 38-16 overall record and a Region VI Championship. She led the nation in stolen bases (89) and paced the Cardinals in hits (76), doubles (10), triples (3), walks (21), batting average (.435), and on base percentage (.485). •Freshmen Erin Riding (pitcher), Mallory Kilian (pitcher/utility), and Brooke Rozier (catcher/utility) will all make their Hawkeye debuts in 2016.

STAFF UPDATES
•Jake Schumann joined the Iowa softball staff on Aug. 5, 2015. Schumann will handle the Hawkeye offense. He joins the staff after spending last season as the associate head coach at Ole Miss. He has also served as the head coach at Florida International (2011-14), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (2007-11), Texas A&M-Kingsville (2003-07), and Carl Albert State College (2001-03). •Former Hawkeye Rachel West is Iowa’s new volunteer assistant coach. West appeared in 202 games for the Hawkeyes from 2005-09. The Burlington, Iowa, native still stands as one of the best base stealers in program history. West swiped 86 bags during her four-year career — a mark that ranks fourth in program history. •Sharon Palma is in her first year as the director of operations for the Iowa softball program. The Grand Rapids, Michigan, native came to Iowa after spending the 2014 season as an assistant coach at Ole Miss. A former professional pitcher for the Carolina Diamonds in the National Pro Fastpitch League, Palma has also spent time as an assistant coach at Florida International (2014) and IUPUI (2013), and a volunteer assistant coach at Michigan State (2012).

HAWKEYE TRADITION
Iowa has made four Women’s College World Series appearances (1995, 1996, 1997, 2001) and played in 16 NCAA Tournaments in school history. The 16 appearances are the second most in Big Ten history, and the four WCWS appearances equal the second most in conference history. The Hawkeyes have won four Big Ten Conference regular season championships (1989, 1997, 2000, 2003) and two Big Ten Tournament titles (2001, 2003). Iowa holds a 1281-819-5 (.611) record in 38 seasons.

ON DECK
The Hawkeyes host Penn State for a three-game series at Bob Pearl Field from April 22-24.

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