The next three games at home will more likely than not be the Iowa softball team’s last of the season.

Minnesota will travel to Pearl Field to wrap up the Big Ten regular season with a three-game series, starting tonight, and the 13-36 Hawkeyes (3-17 Big Ten) will take on the No. 23 Gophers (35-12, 16-3 Big Ten) over the weekend.

“I think we have a pretty good opportunity, facing Minnesota. They’re top of the conference, but we’ve had success against them in the past,” head coach Marla Looper said. “They’re not going to want to come in here and put up too much of a fight, but I’d like to give them a fight and make them walk out of here a little battle-worn.”

For five Hawks, it will be the last few times they lace up their cleats in college.
Holly Hoffman, Whitney Repole, Erin Erickson, Jillian Navarrete, and Haley Hansel have all reached the end of their eligibility.

It’s bittersweet for Hoffman.

“I’m always excited to get out here and play on the field. Even at practice, we’re kind of feeling it,” she said. “It’s the last time we’ll lace up our shoes, but it’s been a journey; it’s been great.”

In a disappointing season, Iowa has had its fair share of struggles, especially recently. During a road trip to Illinois on April 29 and Sunday the Hawkeyes hoped to keep their Big Ten dreams alive, but three losses all but shuttered that.

In order to even have a chance of making the tournament, Iowa must win all three games against the top-of-the-conference Gophers, and Michigan State must lose all three of its games when the Spartans travel to Ohio State.

Even then, the No. 12 seed in the tournament would come down to a tiebreaker, because the two teams would be tied.

Now, though, the Hawkeyes are more focused on playing for the seniors and making sure to end their season on a good note. They would like to get a couple wins on their home field before the season is up.

“All of us want to get out last win on our field for our seniors and our team,” junior Kaitlyn Mullarkey said. “It’s unfortunate that this year we don’t really have a chance to make the tournament, but I don’t think that is really a thought in anyone’s mind right now. We have the series in front of us now, and I think we’re all focused on that.”

In order to get those wins for the seniors, Iowa has to get back to the basics.

Hoffman said the mechanics are all there for her team, but the players have to figure out how to put them all together and get something going.

Looper also noted the team needs to “stick to the plan.”

“We start struggling when we’re trying too hard; we tighten up and really limit what we can do,” she said. “We have to relax and allow ourselves to play.”

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