Hawk Talk Monthly — February | Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store | 24 Hawkeyes to Watch | Box Score (PDF) | Boxscore
CLEARWATER, Fla. — The University of Iowa softball team (10-7) fell to the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders (10-9), 8-6, on Saturday afternoon at the Eddie C. Moore Complex.
The loss snapped an eight-game winning streak by Iowa – the team’s longest since 2009 when they won 42 games.
Senior Mallory Kilian hit her first home run of the season in the bottom of the third inning.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After two scoreless innings, the Hawkeyes and Blue Raiders traded punches in the third inning. Middle Tennessee put up six runs in the top half of the inning, recording five hits, including a double and a triple.
However, the Hawkeyes responded by batting around the order and scoring five runs in the bottom half. Lien got the inning started with a leadoff walk and was eventually brought in by an RBI single from sophomore Aralee Bogar. Ketcham followed with another single to make the score 6-2, and with two runners on, senior Mallory Killian hit a three-run home run over the left field wall to bring Iowa within one run after three innings.
Middle Tennessee added two more insurance runs to make the score 8-5.
Iowa looked to continue the late-game heroics. Junior DoniRae Mayhew doubled to start the sixth inning and was replaced by junior Alex Rath to pinch run. Freshman Kate Claypool pinch ran for junior Liz DeShields after she singled to right field. Rath scored on a passed ball to bring Iowa within two as the Hawkeyes stranded two on base.
The Hawkeyes threatened in the seventh, but couldn’t muster any runs, falling 8-6.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes face USF at approximately 4:30 p.m (CT) in the final game of the day. Live audio is available on Hawkeye All-Access and live stats are available on hawkeyesports.com/sblive.
