JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The University of Iowa softball team swept a doubleheader against Jacksonville on Saturday afternoon on day two of the UNF-Jacksonville Invitational. The Hawkeyes took game one, 5-3, before clinching the day with a, 4-1, win in the nightcap.
Sophomore Jalen Adams got the start in game one and picked up her third win of the season going five innings allowing three runs on seven hits and struck out three Dolphins hitters. Freshman Jaylee Ojo picked her first save of her career, tallying five strikeouts in two innings of work.
Seven different Hawkeyes had an RBI on the day led by senior Grace Banes who had two hits, two RBIs and one run scored. Junior Rylie Moss picked up three hits in the doubleheader with one RBI and one run scored.
Junior Devyn Greer had a strong outing in game two with 5.2 innings of work allowing one run and struck out three. Junior Haley Downe picked up her first career win going 1.1 innings to close out the comeback win over Jacksonville.
Iowa was able to capitalize on nine Dolphin errors in the two games.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
Freshman Devin Bowman was able to make the first sound for the Hawkeyes in the top of the third with a hard-hit single through the left side to score freshman Tory Bennett. Iowa looked to end a Jacksonville threat in the home half of the fourth throwing out a runner at home, but the call was overturned due to obstruction to allow the Dolphins to tie the game at one.
JU took the lead, 3-1, in the fifth after a few Iowa miscues. Adams was able to work her way out of the inning with a strikeout stranding two Dolphins baserunners.
The Hawkeye bats came to life in the top of the sixth as they plated four runs on four hits. Banes got the scoring started with a single to rightfield to two. Moss brought home another run on a sac fly and freshman Jena Young provided an insurance run on an RBI single to make it 5-3.
Ojo entered in relief to start the sixth inning and worked around two baserunners and recorded three strikeouts.
Despite JU being able to load the bases in the bottom of the seventh Ojo shut the door striking out the final batter to secure the win.
Iowa finished the game with five runs on five hits with no errors. The Dolphins were held to three runs on nine hits and had four errors.
Game 2
Greer had a strong start once again for the Hawkeyes. Jacksonville opened the scoring in the bottom of the third taking the, 1-0, lead on an RBI single. Iowa responded in the top of the fourth with an RBI from Bennett to tie the game at one.
Both teams were able to scatter a few hits through the next two innings. The Hawkeyes poured on the runs in the top of the seventh. Downe got her first at bat of 2024 and laid down sac bunt to move Bennett into scoring position. Freshman Soo-Jin Berry kept things going with an RBI single up the middle to bring in Bennett. Senior Brylee Klosterman closed out the inning with a sac fly scoring Berry and Young after an error by the JU left fielder to make it, 4-1.
Jacksonville managed to load the bases in the bottom of the seventh but were held to just one run as Downe closed out the game.
Iowa finished the game with four runs on seven hits with one error. The Dolphins were held to two runs on five hits and had five errors.
HEAR FROM HEAD COACH RENEE GILLISPIE
“Coming away with two wins today is big, especially after having games rained out for our last three game days. I am proud of how the team stayed composed throughout the games when things weren’t necessarily going our way. A key thing is to make sure we control the things we can control within our circle and with that we will find success the rest of the season.”
NOTABLES
- All nine of the Hawkeyes runs on the day were unearned.
- Senior Sammy Diaz has reached base in the last five games.
- Downe has picked up her first career save and win through nine games.
- Freshman Berry and Bowman picked up their team-leading seventh and sixth RBIs, respectively.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes return to action on Sunday Feb. 25 for the final day of the UNF-JU Invitational. They will face Harvard at 9 a.m. CT at the UNF Softball Complex. Iowa will close out action in Florida facing UNF at 11:30 a.m. in a make-up game from Friday. Both games will be broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network with Victor Anderson on the call.
