THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa softball team host Rutgers in their final home conference series of the 2023 season. They will open the series on Friday with first pitch at 5 p.m. (CT). This game will be “go green for mental health” to bring awareness to mental health challenges. Saturday’s match up is scheduled for 2 p.m. and will honor Iowa Softball alumni. The series finale on Sunday will start at noon. After the game we will honor our seniors on the team.
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲.#Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/0hbV0IUsnS
— Iowa Softball (@iowasoftball) April 28, 2023
WATCH AND LISTEN LIVE
All three games will be streamed on B1G+ and will also be broadcast live on Hawkeye Radio Network with Lucas Strain. Fans can access the stream free on YouTube. Live stats will be available on hawkeyesports.com and updates will be available on Twitter (@iowasoftball).
SENIOR DAY
The Hawkeyes will recognize six seniors on Sunday following the game against Rutgers. The list includes three student-athletes and three student managers.
Kalena Burns, Corona, CA.
Nia Carter, Rancho Cucamonga, CA.
Breanna Vasquez, Norwalk, CA.
SCOUTING RUTGERS
Head Coach Kristen Butler is in her fifth season leading the Scarlet Knights. They are in the midst of their first 30-win season since 2013. Rutgers is sitting in 11th place in the Big Ten with a 7-10 record. The Knights top four hitters are all hitting over .300, and the top three have started all 50 games. As a team they are hitting .287 which is fourth best in the Big Ten. Junior infielder Kyleigh Sand ranks in the top-10 for BA, OBP, runs, hits, and triples in the conference. She is first in the conference for stolen bases with 26.
SCARLET KNIGHTS STAT LEADERS
AVG – Kyleigh Sand (.383)
H – Kyleigh Sand (64)
HR – Payton Lincavage (8)
RBI – Morgan Smith (39)
SB – Kyleigh Sand (26)
ERA – Georgia Ingle (1.22)
SO – Jaden Vickers (78)
W – Jaden Vickers (9)
B1G STATS
Senior Nia Carter ranks first in the conference for BA (.471), hits (80), and toughest to strike out. Carter’s BA is sixth in the nation and is ranked second in the nation for hits. She ranks third in the conference for OBP (.518). Carter is one of seven players in the conference who has struck out less than seven times on the season.
Junior Grace Banes is tied for fourth in the conference for triples (3). Freshman Tory Bennett is tied for 13th in the conference for hits (49) and sophomore Tatianna Roman is ranked 15th with 48.
BRINGING IT IN THE CIRCLE
The Hawkeyes pitching staff ERA is third in the conference (2.33). 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 2.07 ERA (7th in B1G) followed by Vasquez who has the eighth best ERA in the conference (2.08) and Adams is 10th with a 2.13 ERA. Iowa is one of two teams in the conference to have multiple pitchers in the top 10.
Vasquez is ranked fourth in the conference in BA against (.199) and ranks sixth in strikeouts (131). Loecker is ranked second in the conference for saves (6).
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Carter currently is tied for ninth all-time in career hits (216).
Carter’s 80 hits this season has her ranked seventh in a single-season at Iowa.
Loecker ranks eighth all-time in career home runs (21).
Klosterman is four hits away from 100 in her career.