Schneider’s Home Run Sends Iowa to Victory over No. 8 Baylor

Hawk Talk Monthly — February 2018 | 24 Hawkeyes to Watch 2017-18 – /sports/2017/7/19/24-hawkeyes-to-watch-2016-17.aspx | Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Shop | Box Score (PDF) | Boxscore

FULLERTON, Calif. — McKenzie Schneider’s two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning sent the University of Iowa softball team to a 3-1 victory over No. 8 Baylor on Sunday morning at the Judi Garman Classic.
 
The eighth-ranked Bears jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Iowa responded in the fourth when freshman Aralee Bogar scored off a double by senior Allie Wood, tying the game.
 
With the game still knotted at 1-1 in the seventh inning, sophomore McKenzie Schneider sent her second career home run deep over the right field fence, scoring sophomore Havyn Monteer and giving Iowa the 3-1 win.
 
Sophomore pitcher Allison Doocy improved to 3-3, throwing eight strikeouts in her fifth complete game of the season.
  
NOTABLES

• Two of Doocy’s eight strikeouts were against Baylor’s Carlee Wallace, who had only struck out twice in 30 at-bats before Sunday’s matchup. 
• Doocy has thrown eight or more strikeouts in four games this season.
• The win was Iowa’s first over a top 10 team since beating then-No. 4 Michigan in Ann Arbor on March 29, 2015.
• Five Hawkeyes — Sarah Kurtz (2), Wood (2), Devin Cantu (1), Monteer (1), and Schneider (1) — collected hits in the game.

QUOTING HEAD COACH MARLA LOOPER
“I’m proud of this team. They haven’t given up this weekend. It seemed like every time we got on a roll, the rain would hit or a light would go out. It’s frustrating. When they left the park last night they were pretty upset. A lot of things could have happened, but they believed they were going to win that game. This morning they came out and stepped on the field with that same fire. They believe they deserve to be on the field with the top teams in the country. I believe there is some respect out there now for our team. They don’t give up and they have this fiery spirit. It’s nice for people outside this team to see that now.
 
“We tell these girls all the time ‘We believe in you. We will not put you in a situation that is going to set you up to fail.’ The hope is that they work the process and get the outcome we want. That’s what happened with Schneider today. She had a good at bat last night against Louisiana-Lafayette, and she kept that momentum today. She did a nice job of seeing that pitch and didn’t do too much with it. She just put bat on ball.
 
“Anytime Doocy steps on the field, she gives us a chance to win. She’s done a nice job of getting ahead in counts so she can be a little freer with pitches towards the end of the at-bat. I personally feel she’s one of the Big Ten’s best pitchers and she should rank up there nationally.”
 
RECORDS UPDATE
Iowa: 5-7
No. 8 Baylor: 10-3
 
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes travel to the Grand Canyon Invitational March 10-12 where they will face Georgetown and Grand Canyon.