Hawkeyes Sweep Day 1 of Lion Invitational

Adams got the start in the circle for the Hawkeyes and retired the Wildcats in order to start the game. The Hawkeyes scattered baserunners in the first and second innings, but the game held scoreless through the first two innings of play. 

After a short rain delay, sophomore Devin Simon started the top of the third with a walk and Young followed with an infield single. The Hawkeyes were the first on the board as Berry hit her first home run of the season, second of her career, to give Iowa the lead, 3-0. The Hawkeyes loaded the bases on walks to junior Tory Bennett, Rivera and a hit-by-pitch by senior Tatianna Roman. Senior Hannah Lindsay was patient at the plate drawing the bases-loaded walk to extend the Hawkeye lead for four. Freshman Brianna Johnson followed that up with a two-RBI single to left field scoring Roman and Rivera. Iowa ended third with six runs on three hits.

Adams kept ACU off the bases in the home half of the inning retiring the Wildcats in order for the third straight inning.

In the top of the fourth, Bennett reached first on a Wildcat fielding error. Freshman Allyssa Ramos was hit by a pitch, placing her on first and advancing Bennett to second. Rivera came in and hit a home run to left field, her first home run as a Hawkeye, pushing the lead to 9-0. The Wildcats picked up their first hit of the game to start the fourth but Adams got out of the inning unscathed.

Berry led off the fifth inning hard hit double to right center, followed by a single up the middle from Bennett bringing Berry home. With two outs in the inning, Lindsay cashed in with a two-RBI double to bring Iowa's lead to 12. Ojo entered in relief for the Hawkeyes and worked around a couple of walks to close out the win. 

Iowa finished the game with 12 runs on 11 hits. ACU finished the game with no runs on one hit and had one error.

Game 2
Iowa and ETAMU each scattered runners in the first but neither team was able to get on the board. Tretton retired the Lions in order in the second inning. The game remained scoreless through three innings of play. 

The Hawkeyes broke through in the fourth inning. Ramos started the inning with a single up the middle, followed by a single to right field from Rivera, advancing Ramos to second. Lindsay came to the plate with one out and sent one out of the park to give the Iowa the lead, 3-0.

ETAMU got on the board in the fifth inning after a couple of Iowa errors, cutting the lead to one. Tretton was able to shut the door to send the game to the sixth with the Hawkeyes leading, 3-2. 

Iowa was able to load the bases with two outs in the sixth but were unable to capitalize. Tretton continued to keep the Lions off balance at the plate to preserve the Hawkeye lead heading into the final inning. Lindsay added an insurance run in the top the of the seventh with a sacrifice fly. 

Tretton picked up three strikeouts in the final frame to secure the win for the Hawkeyes. 

Iowa finished the game with four runs on eight hits and two errors while the Lions had two runs on two hits and no errors.

HEAR FROM INTERIM HEAD COACH BRIAN LEVIN
"We were able to put together a couple of good pitching performances and got some clutch hits when we needed them. As a team we left a few runs on the table due to some conservative base running. We have to button up the defense a little as well. All in all, we did enough to win, but still have a lot to work on to put together a complete game consistently."

 

NOTABLES
* Five different Hawkeyes recorded an RBI in game one, with Berry, Rivera and Lindsay recording three each.
* Eight different Hawkeyes recorded a hit in game one.
* The Hawkeyes registered three home runs, two in game one and on in game two.
* Lindsay matched her career-high with four RBIs in game two.
* Tretton set a career-high eight strikeouts in the circle against ETAMU.

UP NEXT
Iowa (4-3) returns to action tomorrow to face Abilene Christian and East Texas A&M at 12:15 and 4:45 p.m. (CT), respectively on day two of the Lion Invitational. Streaming information can be found on hawkeyesports.com.