Iowa softball fell to Iowa State on Tuesday, 5-4, despite a late rally in the top of the seventh inning. 

Pitcher Breanna Vasquez got the start in the circle for the Hawkeyes, giving up five hits and four runs in 2.1 innings. Vasquez was relieved by sophomore pitcher Denali Loecker, who allowed just two hits and one run while striking out two Cyclone batters. Vasquez took the loss, moving her record to 6-12.

Sophomore outfielder Brylee Klosterman went 2-for-3 at the plate, knocking in one run. Junior first baseman Kalena Burns led the Hawkeyes with two RBIs.

Iowa had eight total hits in the game, edging Iowa State by one. But the Hawkeyes couldn’t turn those hits into runs, leaving eight runners on base in the defeat.

Iowa State pitcher Ellie Spelhaug picked up her eighth win of the season to move to 8-15 overall in 2022.

Big Picture

Iowa moved to 19-26 overall on the season and lost its second consecutive game.

This was the Hawkeyes’ first matchup with the Cyclones since 2019, when Iowa State took down Iowa, 2-0, at Bob Pearl Field.

What’s Next

Iowa will travel to Evanston, Illinois, this weekend to take on No. 8 Northwestern in its seventh Big Ten series of the 2022 season.

The Wildcats are 35-7, coming off a 21-2 victory over UIC on Tuesday. Northwestern is led by pitcher Danielle Williams, who has a 22-2 record and 248 strikeouts in 2022.