Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store | 24 Hawkeyes to Watch 2016-17 | Hawk Talk Monthly — February | Box Score | Boxscore
ATLANTA – The University of Iowa softball team fell to Virginia Tech, 2-1, in eight innings on Friday afternoon in game one of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
“Virginia Tech is a quality team and their hitters like to swing the bat. We knew that coming in,” said UI head coach Marla Looper. “We have to take care of the little things. Every run they scored was because we gave them an opportunity.”
Iowa got on the board in the second inning on a solo home run by Brooke Rozier. The Hawkeyes took the 1-0 lead into the seventh inning, but Virginia Tech, who benefitted from three Hawkeye miscues, plated the tying run in the seventh and scored the game-winner with two outs in the eighth.
Shayla Starkenburg suffered the loss, scattering five hits and striking out five in 7.2 innings. Both runs allowed were unearned.
“We need to come out and play a little sharper and a little cleaner,” Looper said. “If we do that, I think the outcome could be a little different tomorrow.”
The Hawkeyes (2-4) will face Virginia Tech (4-1) again Saturday at 11:30 a.m. (CT) in their second game of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.