THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa travels to Lincoln on Tuesday for a doubleheader against Nebraska at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. (CT) at Bowlin Stadium. The Hawkeyes then host Ohio State over the weekend for a three-game series. Friday’s game begins at 5 p.m. (CT). Saturday’s game is set for 2 p.m. and Sunday’s finale is slated to start at noon. Jerry Kiwala will have the call for the Hawkeye Radio Network which can be heard on YouTube. Tickets are $7 for adults and free for kids 18 and under.
WATCH/LISTEN/FOLLOW LIVE
The doubleheader with Nebraska will be broadcasted on the Big Ten Network. All three home games will be streamed live via B1G+, a paid subscription service. The radio broadcast can be heard on the Hawkeye Radio Network. Fans can follow along for live updates via Twitter @IowaSoftball.
BURNING UP
Junior Kalena Burns hit two home runs in Iowa’s win over Minnesota (4/8). It was her first career multi-home run game.
SETTING REORDS
Nia Carter tied a school record with five hits against Houston (3/18). She went 5-for-5 on the day to match Christy Herbert (1995), Brandi Macias (1996), and Liz Watkins (2012).
B1G KID STATS
Nia Carter ranks third in the Big Ten and 42nd in the nation in batting average (.423). She is sixth in the Big Ten in hits (41) and eighth in on-base percentage (.491).
DOING IT ALL
Denali Loecker has started the season 9-6 in the circle with a 3.43 ERA. Loecker also has five home runs and 16 RBIs.
SCOUTING NEBRASKA
Head coach Rhonda Revelle enters her 29th season at the helm of Nebraska softball. In conference play so far this season, the Huskers are 2-0 against Michigan, 3-0 against Rutgers, and 3-0 against Michigan State. Nebraska ranks first in the Big Ten conference in home runs per game (1.62), on-base percentage (.407), and scoring (6.50). Sophomore infielder Billie Andrews leads the team on offense as she leads the Big Ten in home runs (17), home runs per game (.50), RBIs (38), RBIs per game (1.12), slugging percentage (.923), and total bases (96).
HUSKER STAT LEADERS
AVG – Billie Andrews (.391)
H – Billie Andrews (45)
HR – Billie Andrews (15)
RBI – Billie Andrews (41)
SB – Billie Andrews (13)
ERA – Olivia Ferrell (2.00)
W – Olivia Ferrell (15)
SCOUTING OHIO STATE
Head coach Kelly Kovach Schoenly enters her 10th season leading the Buckeyes. In conference play, Ohio State has gone 2-1 against Indiana, 2-1 against Michigan State, and 0-3 against Northwestern. The Buckeyes rank second in the big ten in win loss percentage (.767).
BUCKEYE STAT LEADERS
AVG – McKenzie Bump & Sam Hackenbracht (.358)
H – Sam Hackenbracht (34)
HR – Sam Hackenbracht (10)
RBI – Sam Hackenbracht (31)
SB – Tegan Cortelletti (6)
ERA – Lexie Handley (2.58)
W – Lexie Handley (13)
HITTING #900
Head coach Renee Gillispie won her 900th career game on Feb. 27 against Cornell. Gillispie ranks 19th among active coaches in Division I and 38th all-time in total wins (909).
NLSN ALL-TOURNEY TEAM
Sophomore Grace Banes and freshman Tristin Doster were named to the 2022 Northern Lights/Southern Nights Invitational All-Tournament Team. Doster, a Fort Dodge, Iowa, native hit .459 on the weekend while slugging .857. In Iowa’s win over Liberty the freshman hit her first career grand slam. She tallied six RBIs and scored three runs.
Banes, a Kansas City, Kansas, native, hit .429 while slugging .615 in the Hawkeyes’ four games. She notched an RBI in each game. In total she had five RBIs and scored four runs.
PLAYING THE BEST
The Hawkeyes face 10 different teams that made the NCAA Tournament in 2021; Eastern Kentucky, Liberty, Kentucky, South Dakota State, Wichita State, defending national champion Oklahoma, Minnesota, Iowa State, Northwestern, and Northern Iowa.
TGIF
In the 11 games that the Hawkeyes have played on a Friday this season, the team is 9-4.
RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
Iowa has a 15-1 record when tallying more hits than its opponents. The Hawkeyes are 13-1 when holding their opponent to two runs or less. Iowa is 16-3 when not allowing a home run.
Take A Lead And Keep It
The Hawkeyes have a 15-4 record when they score first. Iowa is 14-2 when leading after the fourth inning.
EVERYDAY STARTER
The Hawkeyes return three players who started every game a season ago. Grace Banes, Nia Carter, and Riley Sheehy started all 44 games in 2021.
Carter and Brylee Klosterman have started every game for the Hawkeyes this season.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Hawkeyes compiled a 10-6 record at Pearl Field in 2021 and have a 2-5 record in 2022. Iowa is 433-224-1 all-time at Pearl Field.
PROGRAM RECORD IN 2021
Iowa won a program-record 26 conference games during the 2021 conference only season. The previous record was 22 wins in 1997.
ROSTER BREAKDOWN
Seven Hawkeyes hail from Iowa, seven from California, three from Indiana, two from Missouri, and one from Kansas, Pennsylvania and Nebraska. The roster is comprised of nine freshmen, seven sophomores, three juniors and three seniors. There are 11 returning letterwinners and 11 newcomers.