THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa softball host Nebraska in a doubleheader for their home opener at Pearl Field. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 2 p.m. (CT) and game two will begin at 4:30 p.m (CT).
WATCH AND LISTEN LIVE
Both games will be televised on the Big Ten Network with Sloane Martin and Jennie Ritter on the call. They will also be broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network with Lucas Strain. Fans can access the stream free on YouTube or live on KXIC, locally in Iowa City. Live stats will be available on hawkeyesports.com and updates will be available on Twitter (@ iowasoftball).
LAST TIME OUT
The Hawkeyes opened Big Ten play with a three-game series at Penn State, which they took, 2-1. On Friday, they lost an extra-inning shootout, 3-2 and on Sunday they won game one, 9-4, and game two 4-3.
Senior Nia Carter continued her hot streak, hitting .600 over the three games. She had two doubles, two RBIs, and four runs scored. Freshman Tory Bennett extended her hit streak to eight over the weekend and had a team-high four RBIs. Seven different Hawkeyes recorded at least one RBI in the series and as a team, they recorded 10 extra base hits.
Junior Denali Loecker led the way for the pitching staff throwing 9.2 innings and finished with a 1.45 ERA.
SCOUTING NEBRASKA
Head Coach Rhonda Revelle is in her 31st season at Nebraska and is the winningest coach in Nebraska Athletic History. The Huskers enter the weekend 23-9 and are currently in second place in the Big Ten. They are coming off of a three-game sweep of Purdue to open conference play this past weekend. Nebraska ranks second in the Big Ten in batting average (.328), slugging percentage (.527), and doubles (58).
HUSKER STAT LEADERS
AVG – Katelyn Caneda (.407)
H – Billie Andrews (39)
HR – Billie Andrews (10)
RBI – Brooke Andrews (28)
SB – Ava Bredwell (4)
ERA – Sarah Harness (2.67)
SO – 2 Players (67)
W – Courtney Wallace (14)
B1G STATS
Senior Nia Carter ranks first in the conference for BA (.495) and hits (55). She ranks second for OBP (.548) and toughest to strikeout. Carter is one of four players in the conference whoa has struck out less than four times on the season.
Junior Grace Banes leads the conference in triples (3). Freshman Tory Bennett is ranked eighth in the conference for hits (36). Junior Denali Loecker is ranked fourth in the Big Ten for RBIs (31).
BRINGING IT IN THE CIRCLE
The Hawkeyes have the third best staff ERA in the conference (2.07) and have recorded the most shutouts (8). Three of the Iowa pitchers are ranked in the top 10 in the conference for ERA. Loecker is leading the team with a with a 1.63 ERA, followed by Jalen Adams and Breanna Vasquez who both have a 1.73 ERA. Iowa is one of two teams in the conference to have multiple pitchers in the top 10.
Vasquez is ranked third in the conference in BA against (.172) and ranks eighth in strikeouts (76). Loecker ranks second in the conference in saves (3).
PLAYING THE BEST
The Hawkeyes will face 12 different teams that made the 2022 NCAA Tournament: Lehigh, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Princeton, South Florida, UT-Chattanooga, and Wisconsin. They will face four teams who advanced to the WCWS, Northwestern, Oregon State, UCLA, and national runner-up Texas.
The Hawkeyes are currently 4-5 in those games.
FRESH FACES
Iowa has had five freshman who have started in at least 45% of the games this season. Tory Bennett has started in all 32 games thus far at shortstop and is third on the team in hitting (.356).