STOCKTON, Calif. – The University of Iowa softball team swept a doubleheader on Friday afternoon against Pacific, 5-0, and Sacramento State, 1-0, at Bill Simoni Field.
Sophomore Jalen Adams (5-5) got the ball in game one against the Tigers and threw a gem. She retired the first 11 hitters she faced to start the game. Adams ended up going the complete game allowing no runs on two hits and struck out two.
Freshman Jaylee Ojo (1-1) started game two against Sac State and picked up her first win of the season in a dominant performance. She held the Hornets to one hit in a complete game shutout.
In the two games, freshman Jena Young went 3-for-6 at the plate with three RBIs and hit the Hawkeyes first home run of the year. Junior Rylie Moss and senior Sammy Diaz each extended their on-base streaks to 14 and 16 games, respectively.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
Iowa was able to get into scoring position with two outs in the second inning, but Pacific got a strikeout to end the inning. The Hawkeyes defense made a couple a web gem plays in the bottom of the second to keep the game scoreless.
The Hawkeyes got on the board in the third inning. Moss came around to score on a triple off the bat of Young to make it, 1-0. Iowa extended their lead on an RBI from freshman Soo-Jin Berry to score Young. Iowa tacked on another run in the third as sophomore Echo Mattiello had an infield RBI single to make it, 3-0.
The Tigers got their first baserunner of the game on a two-out double in the fourth. Adams held strong and didn’t let her advance as the inning ended. Iowa added insurance runs in the seventh as Young hit the first Hawkeye home run of the season to give Iowa the, 5-0, lead. Adams allowed the lead off runner to reach in the home half of the seventh but then retired the next three Tiger hitters to close out the game.
The Hawkeyes finished the game with five runs on eight hits and had no errors.
Game 2
Moss got the game started with a single as she reached base for the 14th straight game. Iowa strung together three singles and senior Grace Banes cashed in on a sacrifice fly to give the Hawkeyes the, 1-0, lead. The Hornets threatened in home half of the second getting a runner to third, but Ojo got out of the inning with the Hawkeye lead still in tack.
Both offenses were quiet as the game quickly became a pitchers’ duel. Neither team had a batter reach base from the fourth inning on until Ojo surrendered a two-out walk in the bottom of the seventh. Ojo got the next hitter to foul out to Diaz to end the game.
Iowa finished game two with one run on three hits, all in the first inning.
HEAR FROM HEARD COACH RENEE GILLISPIE
“The two wins today were huge for us after the stretch we’ve had. Our defense and pitching is what won us the games today. Jalen and Jaylee left everything out there and we couldn’t have asked for anything more out of both of them. Our defense made some amazing plays and more importantly they made the routine plays to go along with it.”
NOTABLES
- The duo of Adams and Ojo held opposing hitters to just three hits on the day.
- Young hit the first Iowa home run of the season in game one.
- This was Iowa’s fourth doubleheader sweep of the season.
- Diaz is riding a 10-game hit streak.
UP NEXT
Iowa (10-10) returns to action on Saturday for the final day of its spring break trip. The Hawkeyes will face Pacific and Sacramento State in a doubleheader beginning at 2 pm CT. The game against Pacific will be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required).