Iowa softball has thrived in big moments this season.
The Hawkeyes toppled three top-25 opponents and competed confidently against the nation’s best programs.
The challenge head coach Marla Looper’s squad has yet to overcome this season is consistency against lower-tier teams.
Despite beating the nation’s top talents, Iowa softball only has a 13-13 record, dropping games to teams such as unranked South Dakota State, Wichita State, and Grand Canyon.
“There were some losses that we could improve upon,” sophomore pitcher Allison Doocy said. “But we’re going to keep working on the things we need to keep working on and strengthening what we need to strengthen to get some wins.”
Today’s matchup with Wisconsin-Green Bay may present Iowa with the same challenge. Coming in with a 4-17 record, the Phoenixes are not one of Iowa’s most decorated opponents this season.
The team hits .216 and has an ERA of 5.62. To compare, Iowa is hitting .231 and has a team ERA of 1.91, led by Doocy’s 1.47.
Iowa enters today’s game coming off one of its best performances this season. On March 23, the Hawkeyes, behind efforts from Doocy in the circle, snapped No. 17 Michigan’s 18-game winning streak after losing the first game of the doubleheader.
“It was nice to take a little bit of momentum from the first game, even though we didn’t win it,” Looper said. “So, the second game we came out, and we had energy to start. We controlled our attitude and our effort, and we brought our best foot forward.”
The team hopes to use that momentum but cannot overlook any unranked teams. The team will need to keep putting its best foot forward, and its best focus, if it hopes to break its even record.
“We know we have the confidence to beat anyone any given day, so coming out here and beating this team is really good for us,” McKenzie Schneider said.
Green Bay is no Michigan, but it still poses a threat to the inconsistent Hawkeyes.
Iowa hitters will likely see Kayla Schwebke in the circle. Batters have a .266 average against her, but they can’t chase pitches — Schwebke has 42 walks to her 30 strikeouts.
“When you have solid defense and the pitching is rolling, we just need to continue to hold them at bay, and good things will happen for us offensively,” Looper said.
That game plan starts in practice for the Hawkeyes. As the home slate of games for the season arrives for Looper’s squad, the team will have more time to learn its strengths and work on its weaknesses.