24 Hawkeyes to Watch 2016-17 | Hawk Talk Monthly — March | Box Score – Drake | Box Score – Kansas | Boxscore
LAWRENCE, Kansas — The University of Iowa softball team dropped an 11-1 decision to Drake and a 6-2 decision to Kansas on Sunday in games one and two, respectively, of the Jayhawk Invitational at Arrocha Ballpark at Rock Chalk Park.
“We still have to be better at taking care of the ball,” said UI head coach Marla Looper. “We didn’t take care of the ball very well in either game. When that happens, you don’t set yourself up very well for success.”
Game One
Kaitlyn Mullarkey went 2-for-3, while Alex Rath, Lea Thompson, Allie Wood, and Brooke Rozier also chipped in hits against the Bulldogs (16-9). Elizabeth Wiegand suffered the loss, throwing three strikeouts in 4.1 innings pitched.
After two scoreless innings, Drake scored two runs on three hits in the top of the third. The Hawkeyes responded in the bottom of the inning as Thompson singled to left field, advanced to second on a Mullarkey single, and scored as Wood doubled to right field.
The Bulldogs extended the lead in the fifth with five runs on four hits before adding four runs on three hits in the top of the sixth inning.
Game Two
Angela Schmiederer went 2-for-3 with one RBI, while Rozier, Devin Cantu, and Mallory Kilian also added hits against the Jayhawks (15-9). Allison Doocy took the loss, throwing one strikeout in 6.0 innings pitched.
Kansas scored in the bottom of the first inning as Harli Ridling hit an RBI single to center field, but the Hawkeyes matched the run in the top of the second. Wood reached on an error, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Rozier, and scored on Schmiederer’s RBI single to center field.
The Jayhawks re-gained the lead in the bottom of the second inning as Lily Behrmann hit an RBI double to left field, but Iowa responded in the top of the fourth with Rozier’s solo bomb over left field.
Kansas took the lead again in the bottom of the fourth inning on an Erin McGinley solo home run before adding three runs on three hits in the bottom of the sixth inning.
“We have to re-group for tomorrow,” said Looper. “We are going to face the same team, and we won’t see much different out of them, except possibly another pitcher. We have to play solid defense and make the plays that are right in front of us. We talk about it, but we have to keep working on the little things.”
The Hawkeyes (2-14) face Kansas again tomorrow at 4 p.m. (CT) in game three of the Jayhawk Invitational.