Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store | 24 Hawkeyes to Watch 2016-17 | Hawk Talk Monthly — April | Game Notes
This Week
The University of Iowa softball team faces Northern Iowa on Tuesday at 6 p.m. (CT). The Hawkeyes then return home to host Big Ten foe Nebraska in a doubleheader Wednesday. Game one will begin at 3 p.m. (CT), with game two beginning approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of game one.
Streaming/Live Stats
- Wednesday’s doubleheader will be on Big Ten Network with live streaming on BTN2Go. A direct link is on the softball schedule page on hawkeyesports.com.
- Live stats for each contest is on the softball schedule page on hawkeyesports.com.
- Live audio is available for all Big Ten games on Hawkeye All-Access at hawkeyesports.com.
Follow the Hawkeyes
For all of the latest news and information on Iowa softball, visit hawkeyesports.com. Fans can also follow the program on its social media outlets at Facebook.com/iowahawkeyessoftball and @iowasoftball on Twitter and Instagram.
Season Tickets
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit hawkeyesports.com/tickets, call the ticket office at 1-800-IA-HAWKS or visit the ticket office located in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Fans who purchase a season ticket will receive a special edition Iowa softball blanket. Tickets start at just $12.
Conference Matchups
The Hawkeyes are 3-6 in Big Ten action this season. After dropping the series opener at Wisconsin (8-1), Iowa responded with a 4-3 victory in game two. The Hawkeyes then dropped a 6-5, 10-inning heartbreaker in the series finale on April 9. Iowa plays seven weekend series and one midweek doubleheader during league action.
Ranked Foes
- Six of Iowa’s 2017 opponents are currently ranked in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll: Florida (3), Minnesota (6), Washington (13), Ohio State (21), California (23), and Arizona State (24). Illinois, Missouri, and Texas State also received votes.
- Five foes are ranked in the USA Today/NFCA poll: Florida (3), Minnesota (6), Washington (12), Arizona State (23), and Ohio State (25). Illinois, Missouri, California, and Wisconsin also received votes.
Hot Start
- Freshman pitcher Allison Doocy had a career-high nine strikeouts against South Dakota State on March 19. She fell one short of her career best with eight strikeouts as she led Iowa to victory at Wisconsin on April 8.
- Doocy leads the team with 71 strikeouts this season.
- The Ankeny, Iowa, native had five strikeouts over 7.0 innings in her first outing against Abilene Christian on Feb. 10.
Mullarkey’s Madness
Kaitlyn Mullarkey leads Iowa in batting average (.284), hits (25), RBIs (13), doubles (8), and hit by pitches (11). Defensively, she leads the team in putouts with 195.
With her home run against Virginia Tech, Mullarkey now has 16 career home runs to tie for 13th in program history.
With eight doubles this season, Mullarkey has 28 in her career. She is three doubles from tying for 15th in program history.
Mullarkey has reached base in 16 consecutive games and is on a three-game hitting streak. She leads the team with six multi-hit games and has three multi-RBI games.
I’ll Take Pratt
- Cheyenne Pratt is 6-6 in swiping stolen bases this season, which is a personal-best single season mark. She is a perfect 12-12 in her career.
- Pratt had a career-high two stolen bases against Texas Tech.
- After going 1-for-2 at Wisconsin on April 7, Pratt was 2-for-3 in the win against the Badgers on April 8 and then went 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI at Wisconsin on April 9. Pratt is on a four-game hitting streak.
Rockin’ Rozier
- Brooke Rozier hit her second triple of the season against No. 20 Arizona State. The redshirt freshman is two triples away from landing in the top 20 in single season triples.
- Rozier’s home run against Purdue (April 2) was the third of her career.
- With nine extra-base hits, Rozier leads the team with a .446 slugging percentage. She leads the team with two triples and ties for the lead with three home runs.
Hot Hitting Thompson
- Lea Thompson leads the team with 11 sacrifice hits.
- The freshman was a perfect 3-for-3 over two games against Missouri on March 15.
- Thompson hit her first triple of the season against the Tigers and added a double against Valparaiso on March 17.
Fabulous Fritsch
- Senior Claire Fritsch exploded at the plate in the Hawkeye Invitational, going 6-for-7 with three doubles, three runs scored, and an RBI over a three-game stretch.
- Fritsch was a perfect 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI against South Dakota State on March 18. On March 20 against the Jackrabbits, the Round Rock, Texas, native was a perfect 2-for-2 with a double and two runs scored.
- Fritsch also went 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored, and a stolen base against Creighton on March 19.
- Overall, Fritsch has three multi-hit games.
Northern Iowa
- Northern Iowa is 20-14 overall after going 2-1 in the three-game series against Southern Illinois. The Panthers secured the series with a 4-9 win and a 5-2 victory on April 8 before falling 7-6 on April 9.
- UNI is ranked No. 55 in the nation in ERA with a 2.52.
- The Hawkeyes hold a 30-17 series record of UNI. The teams last played on April 12, 2016 when Iowa secured a 6-3 victory.
Nebraska
- Nebraska is 16-20 overall and holds a 6-3 Big Ten record after sweeping Rutgers, April 8-9. The Huskers won game one 7-4, secured the series victory with a 15-12 win in game two, and completed the series sweep with a 7-2 game-three win.
- Nebraska is No. 90 in the nation in doubles per game (1.31).
- The Huskers hold a 17-12 series lead over Iowa. The teams last faced in a doubleheader on April 6, 2016, with Nebraska earning a 6-5 win in game one and a 3-1 victory in game two.
In the Rankings – B1G
- Three Big Ten teams are currently ranked in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll. Minnesota leads the league at No. 6, while Michigan is No. 17. Ohio State rounds out the rankings tied for 21. Illinois also received votes.
- Three Big Ten teams are ranked in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches poll. Minnesota lands at No. 6, while Michigan is ranked 18th and Ohio State is No. 25. Illinois and Wisconsin also received votes.
A Challenging Schedule
Iowa’s 2017 schedule includes 12 opponents who reached the 2016 NCAA Regionals, three of which also reached the 2016 Super Regionals. Texas State, Florida, Fresno State, Washington, Arizona State, Cal, Missouri, Illinois, Nebraska, Minnesota, Western Illinois and Northwestern all reached Regionals, while Florida, Washington and Missouri each advanced to the Super Regionals.
In the Record Books
- Kaitlyn Mullarkey hit nine home runs in the 2016 season, which tied for eighth in program history.
- With 16 career blasts, Mullarkey is tied for 13th on Iowa’s all-time career home run list. Her next home run will move her into a tie for 10th in program history.
Around the Big Ten
- Iowa leads the conference in double plays per game with a 0.66 average.
- The Hawkeyes are No. 6 in earned run average (3.38).
- Lea Thompson leads the league in sacrifice hits per game (0.41).
In the Nation
- Iowa’s 0.66 double plays per game rank second in the nation.
- Lea Thompson leads the nation with 0.41 sacrifice hits per game.
Power Surge
After registering 11 extra-base hits in all of 2015 (59 games), junior Kaitlyn Mullarkey tallied 21 in 48 games in 2016. This season, Mullarkey recorded three doubles in the first four games. She currently has eight doubles and one home run.
Increased Speed
- After stealing 18 bags in all of 2015, Iowa swiped 51 bases in 52 games during the 2016 season.
- Junior Kaitlyn Mullarkey led the team with 13 stolen bases. Of those 51 stolen bases, returnees stole 39. The Hawkeyes have 23 stolen bases in 2017.
Experienced Lineup
- The Hawkeyes return 14 letterwinners and 10 players who started over 30 games from the 2016 season.
- All five pitchers from the 2016 season return.
- During the 2016 season, Kaitlyn Mullarkey racked up 44 hits and a team-high 38 runs in 154 at-bats. She tied a team-high 11 doubles and led the team with nine home runs for a team-best .571 slugging percentage. The nine home runs tied for eighth all-time in a single season. In addition, Mullarkey led the team with a .418 on-base percentage. The Park Ridge, Illinois, native had a team-high 13 stolen bases on 15 attempts. Defensively, she started every game at first base and led the team with 321 putouts and chipped in 25 assists.
- After a solid freshman season, sophomore Mallory Killian is poised to help the Hawkeyes during the 2017 season. Kilian split time between third base and designated player last year and amassed 24 hits and 12 runs in 93 at-bats. She also chipped in four doubles and four home runs for a .430 slugging percentage. Defensively, Kilian tallied 15 putouts and 24 assists.
- Angela Schmiederer split time between catcher and outfielder as a sophomore. She amassed 29 hits and 15 runs in 114 at-bats. She also chipped in eight doubles and three home runs for a .404 slugging percentage.
New Faces
- Iowa added eight freshmen to its squad for the 2017 season.
- Devin Cantu played three seasons at Cedar Hill High School and was a three-time first team all-district selection. As a junior, Cantu was named Offensive Player of the Year.
- Havyn Monteer played at Boonville R-1 High School in Missouri and holds school records for most at bats (323), runs (144), hits (154), singles (103), and stolen bases (97) in a career.
- Taylor MaKowsky played at Klein Oak High School in Klein, Texas, and was a three-time all-district selection, which included first team honors as a senior.
- Lea Thompson played for Scecina Memorial High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. She was a three-time all-conference selection and earned the team’s Offensive Player of the Year award as a sophomore and junior.
- Taylor Libby competed at West High School in Iowa City. She hit .440 as a junior with 16 doubles and four home runs and currently holds the school record for doubles (16) and RBIs (45) in a single season.
- Allison Doocy played at Ankeny High School where she set the Iowa State Tournament strikeout record in 2015 with 33 strikeouts in three state tournament games. She holds the school record for strikeouts in a single season (233).
- McKenzie Schneider played at Carroll Senior High School where she batted .397, scored 110 runs, drove in 103 runs and posted a .460 on-base percentage. She hit .435, blasted seven home runs, notched 40 RBIs, and scored a team-high 50 runs as a senior.
Back in Black (and Gold)
- Megan Blank enters her first season as a volunteer assistant coach. She joins the Hawkeyes after two seasons with the Chicago Bandits of the National Pro Fastpitch Association and one season as a volunteer assistant at Northwestern. Blank, who recently signed for her third season with the Bandits, was one of the most decorated softball players in Iowa’s history.
- Blank, a four-time All-Big Ten first team selection, had a standout career with the Hawkeyes. Blank played and started at shortstop in every game of her collegiate career. She broke or tied five school records and finished in the top 10 in 12 statistical records.
Other Staff Additions
- Daniel Gratz has joined the University of Iowa softball staff as the director of operations.
- Gratz joins the Hawkeyes after spending three seasons as head coach at Cedar Rapids Kennedy High School. He also worked as assistant coach this past season for John Wood Community College.
- His accomplishments at Kennedy led Gratz to be named 2016 Conference Coach of the Year (Missouri Valley Conference) and 2016 District Coach of the Year (Iowa 5A – East District).
The Dugout
The Hawkeyes will once again produce their blog, The Dugout, for the 2017 season. The blog provides fans the opportunity to connect with the student-athletes, coaches, staff and alumni around the Hawkeye softball program. The Dugout aims to deliver a unique insight into the lives of the Iowa softball team. Each week, The Dugout features a different softball student-athlete, coach or alum. To see the latest post, visit hawkeyesports.com.
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 1283-829-5 (.607) record in 38 seasons.
Up Next
The Hawkeyes host a Big Ten series against Rutgers starting Friday at 6 p.m. (CT). Game two will be Iowa’s annual Awareness Game and is slated to begin at 1 p.m. Saturday. First pitch for the series finale is scheduled for 12 p.m. Sunday.