Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store | 24 Hawkeyes to Watch – 2017-18 | Hawk Talk Monthly — April 2018 | Box Score (PDF) | Boxscore
EVANSTON, Illinois – The University of Iowa softball team dropped an 6-2 decision to Northwestern in the series finale at Drysdale field on Sunday. Northwestern clinched the series victory after winning 4-1 on Friday. The Hawkeyes notched a 3-0 win in game two on Saturday.
Wildcat pitcher Kenna Wilkey quieted the Hawkeye offense with five shutout innings to start the game before allowing two runs in the sixth. She gave up two runs on three hits over seven innings of work.
Northwestern pushed two runs across in the second and another in the third against Iowa starter Kenzie Ihle before extending the lead against the Hawkeye bullpen. The Wildcats pushed their lead to 5-0 with two runs in the third before plating their final run in the fifth.
Sophomore Taylor Libby ended Wilkey’s no-hit bid with a single to Northwestern’s shortstop in the fifth inning.
In the sixth, freshman Aralee Bogar reached base on a single to left and stole her 22nd base of the season before senior Allie Wood stepped to the plate. Wood was looking at a 2-0 count with one out and a runner on went she knocked a two-run shot over the center field wall.
Ihle (2-4) was tagged with the loss, allowing five runs on six hits over two innings. Junior Erin Riding gave up one run on three hits over 2.1 innings. Senior Ashley Yoways and freshman Lauren Shaw threw a combined 1.2 innings. Shaw tossed two strikeouts in the sixth frame.
NOTABLES
- Bogar is currently a perfect 22-for-22 in stolen base attempts.
- Wood hit her fifth home run of the season in Sunday’s contest.
QUOTING HEAD COACH MARLA LOOPER
“We talked all weekend about how Northwestern was going to challenge us defensively and we didn’t do a good job offensively to get on the board.”
“All of our pitchers did a good job coming in. Riding had a little too much adrenaline at first but then she settled in. Yoways and Shaw did a nice job at the end of settling in and finishing the game for us.”
RECORDS UPDATE
Iowa: 20-28, 6-13
Northwestern: 32-14, 13-6
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes finish the regular season in a weekend series at Pearl Field against Purdue beginning on Friday at 5 p.m. (CT). Game two of the series is slated for Saturday at 2 p.m. with the finale scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m.
