University of Minnesota Athletics
Softball Falls 9-4 as Iowa Sweeps
5/9/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Minneapolis - The University of Minnesota softball team struggled with Iowa for the second straight day today (May. 9), and fell 9-4 as the Hawkeyes earned the series sweep over the Gophers.
Minnesota (15-35, 1-15) broke out of a 10-inning scoring slump in the game, hitting four runs for just the third time in league play. The Gophers collected six hits on the day, off of six different bats. Their hit mark is bettered in league play only by the nine they had against Michigan State on Apr. 4.
Iowa (25-21, 10-7) keeps their slim hope of an NCAA Tournament berth alive with the sweep. But with the season winding down they would likely need to do more of the same next weekend against Michigan for a chance at the postseason. The Hawkeyes won in spite of four errors in the field, making up for it with 12 hits. Five different Hawkeyes players finished the day with two hits.
After a 6-0 loss the day before, the Gophers were able to crack the scoreboard today, with a three-run fourth inning, and one final run the fifth. It was also senior day today, and the Golden Gopher offense was led by its seniors. Abby Rehberger (Brainerd, Minn.) and Heidi Carls (Villard, Minn.) each collected hits, while Carls also scored and Tina Watts (Minneapolis) had one of the Gophers two RBI in the game.
A double from Carls set up the Gophers' first run in the fourth, before also scoring herself as part of the three run inning. The inning's final run came across the plate, courtesy of the bat of Watts.
Alex Davis (Harbor City, Calif.) led off the fifth with a double, and was brought home when Carls traded places with her, advancing to second after her shot down the right field line was too much for the Hawkeye's first baseman to handle.
The four runs would be all the scoring for the Gophers, but it was the most since a five-run outing at Ohio State on Apr. 25.
Minnesota starter Alissa Koch (Racine, Wis.) started strong, retiring the first four batters she faced, before surrendering three runs on just two hits in the third. The knockout blow was a two-out homerun off the bat of Sarah Spiering. Iowa would also get another homerun in the game, a leadoff shot in the seventh from Johnnie Dowling, as she scored the final run of the game.
Koch pitched her 20th complete game of the season and went seven innings for the seventh time. All nine runs she allowed were earned, and she gave up 12 hits while walking six and striking out five. She falls to 0-20 on the season, while Hawkeye starter Amanda Zust wins for the second straight day to improve to 16-10. Zust allowed four runs - none earned - on six hits and walked none, while striking out two.
Rehberger, Carls, Davis, Dannie Skorve (Zimmerman, Minn.), Malisa Barnes (Phoenix, Ariz.) and Sammie Howard (Shoreview, Minn.) all had hits on the day, while Davis, Carls, Kelsey Klucas (Aitkin, Minn.) and Aubrey Davis (Kennedale, Texas) each scored runs.
There is just one home date left on the schedule and two total series in the 2010 campaign. This Wednesday, May 12, Minnesota hosts Wisconsin in a Border Battle doubleheader, and on May 14 and 15 the season ends with a trip to east to play Illinois.
Game time on Wednesday is 4:00 p.m.
