The Iowa softball team traveled two hours west to Ames face off with in-state rival Iowa State in the first edition of the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series this season. The Cyclones defeated the Hawkeyes, 9-5.
Here are three takeaways from the loss:
Pitching struggles
The Hawkeyes sent first-year Talia Tretton to the circle against the Cyclones. Tretton struggled to miss the Iowa State bats, as she allowed six runs on seven hits through 3.2 innings before Hailey Downe came in for relief in the fourth and got the final out.
The first six runs for the Cyclones came in the fourth, where Iowa held a 1-0 lead. Tretton struggled with control in the fourth, hitting one batter and walking two more, one of which came with the bases loaded to bring in the fifth run.
Iowa State took advantage of the control issues in the fourth by smoking two doubles that scored two runs each. The bases loaded walk and an RBI single made it six runs in the inning for the Cyclones, causing head coach Karl Gollan to pull his starter earlier than desired.
Second-year Jaylee Ojo came into the game for Downe in the fifth and shut down the Iowa State bats. The Cyclones got a good read on Ojo in the sixth, however, putting up three insurance runs to secure the victory.
Relentless offensive battle
The Hawkeyes faced a 6-1 deficit through four innings but responded immediately in the fifth with four runs to cut the Iowa State lead to 6-5. A hit-by-pitch and two walks loaded the bases for Iowa before an out was recorded.
Third-year outfielder Echo Mattiello made the Cyclones pay with an RBI single. Tory Bennett added on with a two RBI single to left, and Tretton brought home Mattiello with a sacrifice fly to center to bring the Hawkeyes within one run.
While the Hawkeyes were unable to persevere the remainder of the game, their relentless battle in the fifth after going down five runs showed they were in the game the entire time.
Unsung heroes step up
In the last Iowa loss against Illinois State on April 8, Hawkeye stars Jena Young and Soo-Jin Berry had forgettable nights as they combined for just one hit. The biggest issue of that game is that nobody else could step in and pick up the slack.
But the story was different in Ames.
Second-year Devin Simon cracked just her second home run of the season to give the Hawkeyes an early lead in the second inning. Following the six-run fourth inning, Mattiello drove in her sixth and seventh run of the season. Bennett’s two-RBI single moved her season RBI total to 20.
Tretton’s sacrifice fly was her 19th RBI on the season. The first-year pitcher is hitting for just a .217 average on the season.
With some lineup changes, new faces found themselves in RBI situations in the rivalry game. Despite the loss, the Hawkeyes’ role players stepped up big after a rough inning.
Up Next
Iowa returns to Pearl Field for a home Big Ten series against Penn State. The three-game series starts on Saturday, April 19, with first pitch scheduled for 5 p.m.