Hawkeyes Fall to McNeese State

LAKE CHARLES, La. – The University of Iowa softball team fell to McNeese State, 11-4, on Thursday afternoon at Joe Miller Field. The Hawkeyes move to 10-5 on the season and will next compete in the LSU Invitational on Friday and Saturday.

HOW IT HAPPENED 
McNeese State jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning following back-to-back singles and a three-run home run to center field.

Iowa responded in the top of the second. Sophomore Kiara Sipe led off the inning with a single and advanced to third on a double by junior Leah McAnally. With two runners in scoring position, redshirt-sophomore Nailyn Marshall delivered a sacrifice fly to left field to score Sipe and put the Hawkeyes on the board.

The Cowgirls responded with three runs in the bottom of the third, capitalizing on a walk and two singles, and added another in the fifth on a wild pitch to extend the lead to 7-2.

Iowa trimmed the deficit in the sixth. Junior Devin Simon walked and later scored on a freshman McKenzie Leitgen single. Leitgen came around to score on an errant throw, bringing the Hawkeyes within three.

McNeese State answered in the bottom half of the inning with four runs, highlighted by a three-run home run, to seal the 11-4 victory.

NOTABLES
• Johnson and McAnally each went 3-for-3 at the plate.
• Leitgen recorded two RBIs and now leads the team with 16. She extended her hitting streak to six games.
• Iowa has successfully executed and scored on all seven double-steal attempts this season.

UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes travel to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for the LSU Invitational. Iowa will face Nicholls State on Friday at 11 a.m. (CT) and Memphis at 1:30 p.m. (CT).