IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa softball team dropped a doubleheader to Minnesota on Friday afternoon at Pearl Field, suffering a 6-2 decision in game one in nine innings, and an 11-1 run-rule decision in game two.Minnesota completed the sweep after notching an 8-0 run-rule victory over the Hawkeyes on Thursday.
GAME ONE After three scoreless innings, Mallory Kilian put the Hawkeyes on the board. The junior singled up the middle and came around to score later in the inning on a Minnesota error.Minnesota responded by tying the game in the seventh. Following a single and a double, the Hawkeyes caught the potential tying run between third and home for the first out of the inning. The Gophers were able to tie the game on a fielding error. The Hawkeyes went down in order in the bottom of the frame and the game went to extra innings.The Gophers notched the win with a five-run performance in the ninth. Minnesota’s leadoff hitter reached on an error and scored on a triple in the next at-bat. The Gophers used the momentum to push four more runs across the plate.Iowa cut the deficit to four in the bottom of the ninth with Kilian scoring again. This time the Fort Dodge, Iowa, native led off with a double and scored on a Minnesota fielding error.Sophomore Allison Doocy (12-10) was tagged with the loss in the circle. She threw 8.1 innings, allowing six runs and 14 hits. Freshman Lauren Shaw (0.2) came on in relief in the ninth.
GAME TWO Minnesota took an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first, stringing together two singles and two doubles.Iowa responded with its only run in the in the bottom of the second. Sophomore Alex Rath singled through the left side and advanced to third on an error that allowed freshman Aralee Bogar to reach first. Rath scored when Bogar stole second as the throw from the catcher sailed into centerfield. Minnesota’s big inning came in the fourth when the Gophers hit through their lineup and six runs scored, all unearned. The final two runs came in the fifth on a Kendyl Lindaman two-run shot over the left field fence.Shaw (3-8) took the loss in the circle. She allowed nine runs (six unearned) on nine hits in 3.2 innings. Senior Kenzie Ihle came in for 1.1 innings and allowed two earned runs on one hit.
QUOTING HEAD COACH MARLA LOOPER “From day one it’s about what we do to take care of the ball, and when we don’t we open the window for the opponent. It’s why you have an opponent on the field, you have to compete with them.Tuesday is another chance to bounce back. It’s about us making little adjustments throughout, to give ourselves a chance. We had game one won, but we made a couple of blunders. That’s why you play the game. We are better than the product that we put on the field yesterday and today, the nice thing is we get to get back on the horse.”
RECORDS UPDATE Iowa: 19-21, 5-8 Minnesota: 24-14, 7-3
UP NEXT The Hawkeyes continue their home stretch with a mid-week matchup against Western Illinois on April 17 at 7 p.m. (CT).