COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The University of Iowa softball team fell, 2-1, to Maryland in an 11 inning battle Friday night at Maryland Stadium.
Both teams sat scoreless through the first five innings until Iowa struck in the top of the sixth. Senior Sarah Kurtz led off the inning with a single up the left side. In the next at-bat, Kurtz rounded the bases and scored Iowa’s only run of the night off an RBI double hit by senior Allie Wood.
The Terrapins tied the game in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI double of their own.
Both teams continued to fight as the game went into extra innings. Maryland scored the game-winning run the 11th inning when a sacrifice bunt put runners in scoring position and Bridgette Nordberg singled up the middle.
Iowa collected six hits in the contest. Sophomore pitcher Allison Doocy fell to 9-6 on the season. She had 10 strikeouts and threw all 11 innings for the Hawkeyes.
NOTABLES
- Sarah Kurtz reached base in all five of her at bats. She had one run on one hit, reached once on a fielder’s choice, and walked twice.
- Despite the loss, Allison Doocy threw 10 strikeouts against Maryland. This is the fourth time this season she has thrown 10 or more strikeouts in a game.
- Allie Wood leads the team with 16 RBI.
QUOTING HEAD COACH MARLA LOOPER“Doocy threw a heck of a ball game. She scattered eight hits. Only two of them were really playable balls. The last hit that scored the winning run was a little Texas leaguer and you can’t defend that. The two runs they scored were unearned. We just needed to take care of the ball in those situations. Our challenge tomorrow is to take advantage of opportunities.” RECORDS UPDATEIowa: 15-15, 1-2Maryland: 13-20, 3-1UP NEXTThe Hawkeyes return to action on Saturday at noon (CT) for game two of the three-game set at Maryland.