IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa softball team defeated Iowa Wesleyan, 25-0, on Sunday afternoon at Pearl Field in a 10-inning exhibition. The Hawkeye offense was able to score in all but one inning in the game and the Hawkeye pitchers held the Tigers to three hits while tallying 18 strikeouts.
Sophomore pitcher Emma Henderson got the start in the circle for the Hawkeyes. In two innings work she was able to record five strikeouts and no hits. The Iowa offense was able to get started quickly as sophomore Tristin Doster and freshman Kelsey Winters recorded RBIs in the bottom of the first. The Hawkeyes kept in rolling in the second with back-to-back RBI doubles from juniors Grace Banes and Denali Loecker.
The next five Iowa pitchers to enter the game were all able to retire Iowa Wesleyan in order, capped off by sophomore Katherine Serna in the top of the seventh who struck out the side. The Hawkeyes were able to plate a total of five runs in the fourth and fifth innings. In the bottom of the sixth Iowa was able to tack on six more runs on RBIs off the bats of six different Hawkeyes. In the bottom of the seventh Iowa added on two more on a passed ball and an RBI single from senior Nia Carter.
Iowa Wesleyan was able to get their first baserunner of the game in the eighth, but Loecker did not let her get past second base as she was able to get a ground out and a strikeout to end the inning. In the bottom of the inning the Hawkeye bats stayed hot with Banes, Tatianna Roman and Amber DeSena each recording two RBIs. Iowa closed out their scoring in the bottom of the ninth with RBIs from freshman Tory Bennett and sophomore Haley Downe.
Freshman Jalen Adams entered the game in the ninth and pitched two innings. Though the Tigers were able to get a few baserunners, they were not able to get them into scoring position. Adams closed out the game with back-to-back strikeouts.
The Hawkeyes finished the game with 25 runs on 26 hits and zero errors.
The Hawkeyes return to action this weekend as they host the Big Four Classic at Bob Pearl Field. Iowa’s first game will be on Friday October 7 as they face Northern Iowa at 6 p.m. CT. Admission is free.
