CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Iowa softball team fell to Northern Iowa, 6-5, on Wednesday afternoon at the Robinson-Dresser Sports Complex.
The Hawkeyes had Jena Young and Tory Bennett reach in the first on back-to-back singles, but both were left stranded as UNI got out of the jam. Sophomore Jalen Adams got her 23rd start of the season in the circle. She retired the Panthers in order in the bottom of the first with the help of a caught stealing by catcher Skylinn Pogue.
Iowa had two runners reach in the third and senior Sammy Diaz cashed in with an RBI single to take the lead, 1-0. Senior Brylee Klosterman followed that up with a single of her own to score Young from third. Pogue extended the Hawkeye lead as two crossed home a single up the middle to make it, 4-0.
The Hawkeyes added another run in the fourth as Grace Banes came home on a sac fly from Bennett to extend their lead to five. The Panthers loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the fifth. They plated three runs to cut the Iowa lead to two as freshman Andrea Jaskowiak took over in the circle with one out and the bases still loaded. Jaskowiak got out of the jam to send the game to the sixth with Iowa leading, 5-3.
UNI got within one on a leadoff home run to start the home half of the sixth. Junior Haley Downe entered in relief with a runner on first and no outs. The Panthers tied the game on an RBI double and then took the lead, 6-5, on a wild pitch. Iowa managed to get one runner on in the top of the seventh but could not push the run across as the Panthers secured the game.
Iowa (16-27, 4-16) travels to Champaign, Ill. this weekend for the final Big Ten series of the season. Game one against the Fighting Illini will be on Friday May 3 at 5 p.m. CT.