Hawkeyes Split Day 1 at Campbell Invitational

Buies Creek, N.C. – The University of Iowa softball team split opening day at the Campbell Invitational on Friday. Iowa defeated Radford, 11-3, before falling to host Campbell, 8-2. The Hawkeyes fall to 8-3 on the season.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
Iowa opened the day with an 11-3 win over Radford, highlighted by a grand slam from senior Tory Bennett and a three-run homer from sophomore Kiara Sipe. 

The Hawkeyes broke through in the second inning when freshman Mariah Myers and senior Echo Mattiello singled to help load the bases. Bennett cleared them with a grand slam to deep center, giving Iowa a 4-0 lead. 

Iowa added to its advantage in the third. Junior Leah McAnally and freshman McKenzie Leitgen recorded back-to-back singles before Sipe launched a three-run homer to extend the lead to 7-0. Radford answered with a three-run home run in the bottom half of the inning to make it 7-3. 

The Hawkeyes tacked on four insurance runs in the seventh. Redshirt sophomore Nailyn Marshall delivered a two-run pinch-hit single, and Iowa executed two double steals to cap the scoring.

Junior Avery Sapp earned the win in relief, finishing out the game allowing three hits over 4 2/3 innings with two strikeouts and no walks.

Game 2
Iowa dropped its second game of the day to Campbell 8-2.

The Camels scored two runs in the first inning to take an early lead. Iowa responded in the second when Kiara Sipe doubled, advanced on a sacrifice fly by freshman Kiyah Chavez, and scored on Mariah Myers’ single to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Senior Serayah Niess entered in relief in the second inning but allowed a grand slam after Campbell loaded the bases, giving the Camels a 6-1 lead. Niess struck out the side in the third to stop the momentum.

The Hawkeyes added another run in the fourth when junior Devin Simon singled, moved on a passed ball, and scored on Sipe’s RBI single, making it 6-2. Campbell added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to push the lead to 8-2.

Iowa threatened late, loading the bases in the fifth and putting runners on in the seventh, but were unable to score as Campbell closed the game with a double play.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH STACY MAY-JOHNSON
“I thought we competed well early and set the tone in the first game. We attacked the zone, played solid defense and did enough offensively to put pressure on them. In the second game, we weren't as sharp. We didn't adjust quickly enough and left some opportunities out there. Going 1-1 shows we're capable, but we have to find a way to sustain that level for a full day. We'll see how we respond because you know, one game doesn't define us. We have an opportunity to come back tomorrow and be better.”

NOTABLES
• Neiss struck out six batters against Campbell and is nine strikeouts shy of 350 for her career. 
• Sipe went 4-for-7 on the day with a homerun, a double and four RBIs. 
• The Hawkeyes committed no defensive errors in either game.
• Bennett hit her first career grand slam against Radford.
• Marshall recorded two RBIs against Radford, and Myers tallied one RBI against Campbell.

UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes return to action on Saturday for day two of the Campbell Invitational, facing Radford at 11:30 a.m. (CT) and Campbell at 4:30 p.m. (CT).