THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa travels to Ames, Iowa, on Tuesday to face Iowa State in the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series at 4 p.m (CT) at the Cyclone Sports Complex. The Hawkeyes then head to Sharon J. Drysdale Field in Evanston, Illinois, for a three-game series with No. 10 Northwestern. First pitch for Friday is set for at 4 p.m., Saturday’s game is set for 1 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.
VS IOWA STATE
| Iowa State’s Record | 21-24 |
| Series History | Iowa leads, 33-32-2 |
| First Meeting | 1978, Iowa State, 4-1 |
| Last Meeting | 4/9/19, Iowa State, 2-0 |
| Head Coach | Jamie Pinkerton (5th Year) |
VS NORTHWESTERN
| Northwestern’s Record | 34-7 |
| Series History | Northwestern leads, 71-56 |
| First Meeting | 4/19/79, Iowa, 7-1 |
| Last Meeting | 4/18/21, Iowa, 5-2 |
| Head Coach | Kate Drohan (21st Year) |
WATCH/LISTEN/FOLLOW LIVE
The matchup with Iowa State will be streamed on ESPN+. All three games with Northwestern will be streamed via B1G+. The radio broadcast can be heard on the Hawkeye Radio Network. Fans can follow along for live updates via Twitter @IowaSoftball.
IOWA CORN CY-HAWK SERIES
The Cy-Hawk Series is in its 17th season in 2021-22 and is sponsored for the 10th time by Iowa Corn.
Iowa won the 2019-20 series, 13-8, and leads the all-time series, 8-7-1. The Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series was paused during 2020-21 as COVID-19 restrictions prevented the teams from meeting in head-to-head matchups.
Iowa State leads the 2021-22 series, 12-11, following wins in men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s basketball, women’s swimming, and women’s tennis.
Iowa holds wins in women’s soccer, football, volleyball, wrestling, and women’s gymnastics.
Iowa softball owns an 8-6-1 lead in the Cy-Hawk Series matchups. The Hawkeyes won the first meeting in 2005. Iowa State has won the last two matchups.
The series awards two points (except football, which is worth three) to the winning school in each head-to-head match-up between the two institutions. Additionally, one point is awarded to an institution if the graduation rate of its student-athletes is greater than the
national average as reported each fall by the NCAA.
MONSTER TRUCK MASHING
Sophomore Denali Loecker is just the fifth underclassman at Iowa to hit at least nine home runs in a single season. She is tied for eighth most all-time in a single season, and is tied for 20th in career home runs (13).
RECORD BREAKING PACE
If the season were to end today junior Nia Carter would have the sixth-highest single season batting average (.419) in school history. Carter’s .509 average as a freshman in 2020 ranks first in school history but came during the COVID-19 shortened season.
BURNING UP
Junior Kalena Burns hit two home runs in Iowa’s win over Minnesota (4/8). It was her first career multi-homer run game.
FIVE-FOR-FIVE
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 fourth in the Big Ten in batting average (.419). She is third in hits (57) and 10th in on-base percentage (.477).
SCOUTING IOWA STATE
Jamie Pinkerton enters his fifth season at the helm of the Cyclone softball program. Iowa State is currently 2-10 in the Big 12 Conference. Earlier this season the Cyclones defeated fellow Big Ten competitor Nebraska, 7-3. Iowa State currently leads the Big 12 in both doubles plays per game (.40) and triples per game (.31).
CYCLONE LEADERS
AVG – Carli Spelhaug (.341)
H – Carli Spelhaug (46)
HR – Mikayla Ramos (13)
RBI – Mikayla Ramos (48)
SB – Carli Spelhaug (13)
ERA – Sharon Mortimer (2.90)
W – Ellie Spelhaug & Karli Charles (7)
SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN
Kate Drohan is in her 21st season leading the Wildcats. Northwestern is currently 15-2 in the Big Ten Conference, with its only losses coming to Michigan and Illinois. Two Wildcats standout in the Big Ten leading the conference in multiple categories. Graduate student Rachel Lewis currently leads in home runs (18), home runs per game (.47), RBIs per game (1.08) and slugging percentage (.903). Senior Danielle Williams currently leads in ERA (1.33), hits allowed per seven innings (3.52), saves (7), and shutouts (8).
WILDCAT LEADERS
AVG – Nikki Cuchran (.368)
H – Skyler Shellmeyer (53)
HR – Rachel Lewis (19)
RBI – Rachel Lewis (46)
SB – Rachel Lewis (18)
ERA – Danielle Williams (1.32)
W – Danielle Williams (22)
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 (910).
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 9-6.
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 16-4 when not allowing a home run.
TAKE A LEAD AND KEEP IT
The Hawkeyes have a 16-6 record when they score first. Iowa is 15-2 when leading after the fourth inning.