The Iowa softball team found itself in Florida again this weekend, managing two wins against Jacksonville and losses to Harvard and North Florida. The Hawkeyes are now 6-5 on the year.
Game one vs. Jacksonville
First-year Devin Bowman started the Hawks by driving in Tory Bennett with an RBI single to the left side of the field. Iowa’s defense was looking quite strong until the bottom of the fourth inning when a play at home plate was overturned in favor of Jacksonville due to an obstruction call.
The Dolphins scored a pair of runs in the fifth inning after a handful of Iowa miscues. Iowa responded accordingly in the sixth inning, putting up four runs on four hits. Fourth-year Grace Banes recorded two RBIs, while second-year Rylie Moss and first-year Jena Young were both credited with one RBI each.
Second-year Jalen Adams went five innings on the bump and picked up her third win of the season, allowing three runs on seven hits. First-year pitcher Jaylee Ojo achieved her first career save, racking up a noticeable five strikeouts in just two innings of work.
Game two vs. Jacksonville
Jacksonville scored the game’s first run in the bottom of the third inning off an RBI single. The Hawks responded in the top of the fourth with an RBI from Bennett, knotting the game at 1-1.
In the fifth and sixth innings, both Jacksonville and Iowa tallied up a pair of hits each. Iowa ended the scoring drought in the seventh inning. Third-year Haley Downe put the Hawks in scoring position by laying down a sacrifice bunt in her first career at bat. First-year Soo-Jin Berry picked up an RBI single. Fourth-year Brylee Klosterman drove in two more runs with a sac-fly, scoring Young and Berry with an error from Jacksonville’s left fielder, to take a 4-1 lead.
Third-year Devyn Greer pitched 5.2 innings, allowing one run and earning a trio of strikeouts. Downe was credited with the win, going 1.1 innings and securing the comeback for the Hawks.
Iowa finished the game with seven hits and one error.
“Coming away with two wins today is big, especially after having games rained out for our last three game days,” Iowa head coach Renee Gillispie told Hawkeye Sports. “I am proud of how the team stayed composed throughout the games when things weren’t necessarily going our way. A key thing is to make sure we control the things we can control within our circle and with that we will find success the rest of the season.”
Game three vs. Harvard
Ojo got the start against the Harvard Crimson and opened the game with three straight outs, including. two strikeouts.
The Hawks were the first to strike by putting two runs on the board in the top of the third inning. Bowman hammered a triple to bring in Berry to take the early 1-0 lead. Klosterman followed with an RBI to bring in Bowman, but Iowa left three runners stranded to end the inning.
Harvard responded that same inning with a two-run blast to tie the game. Hawkeye first-year Andrea Jaskowiak eventually came in to take over pitching duties with the bases loaded. The Crimson scored two more runs and took a 4-2 lead.
Harvard added two more runs to their total in the fourth inning, causing Iowa to make yet another pitching change. This time, Downe came in and completed the game. Iowa allowed two more runs in the sixth on a Hawkeye error, making the final score, 8-2.
Game four vs. North Florida
Iowa and North Florida went scoreless through five innings of play. The Hawks got the first hit of the day with a double from Young.
In the top of the sixth inning, Iowa had two runners reach base, and both runners were brought into scoring position from fourth-year Sammy Diaz’s sac bunt. Moss brought in Iowa’s lone run with an RBI single.
UNF then scored six runs of its own, tallying four hits with help from two Iowa errors. The Hawkeyes finished the contest with six hits.
Iowa will be back in action on March 8 against CSU Bakersfield.