Iowa Upsets No. 5/6 UCLA

IOWA CITY, Iowa - The University of Iowa softball team upset No. 5/6 UCLA, 7-4, on Sunday afternoon at Bob Pearl Field, in game two of the two-game series.

Freshman Talia Tretton (5-3) made her 12th start of the season start for Iowa. Tretton pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on two hits and fanning five. Junior Jalen Adams came in and threw 2 2/3 innings of relief. Adams allowed one run on four hits and fanned three and picked up her 14th win of the season. Six different Hawkeyes recorded a hit, three of which had multi-hit games. Sophomore Soo-Jin Berry led the way with two home runs and four RBIs. Sophomore Jena Young was perfect at the plate going 4-for-4 and scoring two runs.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Hawkeyes retired the Bruins in order in the first inning, and Tretton picked up her first strikeout of the game. Young started the Hawkeye batters off with a single up middle, and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from Tory Bennett. A wild pitch allowed Young to reach third, but she was left stranded.

The Iowa defense put up its second three up three down inning in the second. In the bottom half of the inning, Simon drew a walk and Tretton notched a single to right that advanced Simon to second, but both Hawkeyes were left on base as the inning came to a close.

Both teams got on the board in the third inning. The Bruins loaded the bases with one out, plating the games first run on an RBI ground out in the top. Iowa took its first lead of the series in the bottom of the third. Young started the inning with a single up the middle, followed by another sac bunt from Bennett to move her to second. Berry came up to the plate and hit her first home run of the game out of center field, scoring Young and herself to give Iowa the lead, 2-1. 

Both teams managed to get runners on in the fourth, but neither team added to the score, Iowa still on top, 2-1.

UCLA loaded the bases to start the fifth, as the Hawkeyes made a pitching change. Adams entered in relief and the Bruins for their first run of the fifth inning on a hit-by-pitch to tie the game at two. The Bruins took the lead, 4-2 after a RBI single to plate two. The Hawkeyes had one runner left on base in the bottom of the fifth.

Adams and the Hawkeyes held UCLA scoreless in the top of the sixth as the Bruins left the bases loaded.

Iowa continued their momentum by adding five runs in the bottom of the sixth that allowed them to ultimately take the game. Iowa loaded the bases with one out in the sixth on two walks and a single. Bennett then hit a bases clearing double  down the left field line to give Iowa the lead, 5-4. Berry then showed up big for the Hawkeyes hitting her second home run of the game to extend the lead, 7-4.

UCLA attempted to fight back, starting the seventh with a double to right center. The runner was able to advance to third, but ultimately a strikeout from Adams and two outs by the Hawkeye defense ended the game. 

Iowa finished with seven runs on 11 hits and one error. UCLA finished the game with four runs on six hits and one error.

HEAR FROM ACTING HEAD COACH KARL GOLLAN

"We did the simple things right today and players stepped up in meaningful moments and got it done. When you have a day where both of those things happen you aways have a chance to do something good...and today we did a good thing. I'm happy for the team, our fans, and the university."

NOTABLES

• Todays win is the Hawkeyes' highest ranked win in 10 seasons.
• Iowa's last top-five win was against #4 Michigan in 2015.
• This is Iowa's first ranked win since 2023 where they defeated #23 Northwestern.
• This was Berry's first multi-home run game of her career.
• Berry surpassed her previous season-high for home runs (5), now with seven on the year.
• Young matched her career-high with four hits.

UP NEXT
Iowa (19-9) hosts South Dakota State for a midweek doubleheader in Iowa City at Bob Pearl Field on Tuesday, March 25. The games are set for 2:30 pm and 4:30 pm CT. The Hawkeyes will then travel to Madison, Wisconsin to take on the Badgers in a three-game weekend series. All five of Iowa's games will be available to stream on B1G+ ($). Further scheduling information can be found on hawkeyesports.com.