IU softball went 1-3 against Iowa this weekend at Bob Pearl Softball Field in Iowa City, Iowa.
The first game was a pitchers’ duel between IU senior pitcher Emily Goodin and Iowa senior pitcher Sarah Lehman. The first three innings were scoreless, and Goodin retired the first six batters she faced. It wasn’t until the bottom of the fourth that Iowa took the lead with an RBI single from freshman catcher Marissa Peek.
However, the Hoosiers responded in the top of the sixth, when senior catcher Bella Norton hit an RBI single to send senior second baseman Grayson Radcliffe home. No teams scored for the remainder of the game, so the game went into extra innings.
The 1-1 tie finally broke at the top of the ninth, when freshman right fielder Aaliyah Andrews and senior first baseman Annika Baez hit back-to-back home runs to make it 4-1. Goodin then collected three outs to secure the game one victory.
IU got swept in Saturday’s double-header. The first game was a dominant 8-0 Iowa victory that finished in six innings by the run rule. Iowa freshman first baseman Denali Loecker and freshman catcher Lindy Milkowski both had two-run home runs alongside RBIs from sophomore infielder Kalena Burns and sophomore right fielder Nia Carter.
The third game of the series was similar to game one with a pitchers duel. This time, Goodin had to face Iowa senior pitcher Lauren Shaw instead of Lehman. The game was 0-0 until the bottom of the fifth, when Marissa Peek hit a home run. Despite multiple opportunities, the Hoosiers could not match the Hawkeyes and lost the third game 1-0.
The final game started well for the Hoosiers. The first score on the board came from senior left fielder Gabbi Jenkins, who hit an RBI double during the top of the fifth to send center fielder Taylor Lambert home. Iowa was able to respond when it mattered most, as freshman center fielder Brylee Klosterman hit an RBI single during the bottom of the seventh.
IU softball next heads to Bittinger Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana, to take on Purdue starting April 9.
