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MINNEAPOLIS — The University of Iowa softball team fell, 9-1, to No. 5 Minnesota on Saturday in game two of the series at Jane Sage Cowles Field.
“Minnesota is a solid team, there’s no doubt about it,” said UI head coach Marla Looper. “That doesn’t mean we need to give them extra opportunities. When a team like that is given extra opportunities, they are going to take advantage of them. When we have opportunities, we need to make the most of them. It’s pretty simple.”
Claire Fritsch was 1-for-2 with a run, while Brooke Rozier was 1-for-2 and Cheyenne Pratt was 1-for-3. Shayla Starkenburg suffered the loss, pitching 4.0 innings.
Minnesota scored three in the bottom of the first inning, taking advantage of a hit and a Hawkeye miscue. The Golden Gophers extended the lead in the bottom of the second inning, scoring three runs on four hits.
The Hawkeyes got on the board in the third frame. Fritsch singled up the middle and advanced to third on a Katy Taylor sacrifice bunt before scoring on a Minnesota error.
The Golden Gophers added a run in the bottom of the inning when Dani Wagner hit a solo home run over center field. Minnesota then tacked on a pair of runs in the fourth frame on a Maddie Houlihan two-RBI home run over left field.
The Hawkeyes (15-26, 7-9 big Ten) face No. 5 Minnesota on Sunday at noon (CT) in the series finale at Jane Sage Cowles Field.