CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The University of Iowa softball team took the series finale against Illinois, 6-5, in eight innings on Sunday afternoon at Eichelberger Field.
Sophomore Jalen Adams got the start for the Hawkeyes today allowing only one hit in two innings of work. Seniors Grace Banes and Brylee Klosterman went a combined 5-for-6 at the plate with two RBIs in the game.
The Illini got on the board first with an RBI single up the middle to score one in the bottom of the third. Iowa got on the board in the fifth as Banes and sophomore Tory Bennett each had RBI doubles to bring in three runs to give the Hawkeyes the lead, 3-1. The Illini quickly took back the lead, 4-3, in the home half of the innings on two RBI doubles of their own to plate three. Illinois tacked on another run in the sixth on a pass ball to extend their lead to two.
Banes started the seventh with a double to the wall and came around to score on an RBI single from Bennett to get the Hawkeyes within one. Freshman Devin Bowman singled to right field and Bennett came home after an Illini error to tie the game at five.
Freshman Andrea Jaskowiak (2-0) worked around a one out single in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extra innings. Sophomore Echo Mattiello led off the eighth with Iowa’s fifth double of the game. Illinois had another throwing error on a sacrifice bunt from Skylinn Pogue to allow Mattiello to come around to score to give Iowa the lead, 6-5. Jaskowiak retired the Iliini hitters in the final frame to secure the victory for Iowa.
The Hawkeyes finished the game with six runs on 11 hits and one error.
HEAR FROM HEAD COACH RENEE GILLISPIE
“I am proud to send our seniors off on a positive note. We are sad to see our season end here but I am happy that we came out to fight the past two days to take the series on the road.”
NOTABLES
- Iowa finishes the 2024 season with a record of 18-28 and 6-17 in Big Ten play.
- This was Iowa’s first extra inning win of the season.
- The Hawkeyes won three Big Ten series in 2024.