IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa softball team split a Saturday doubleheader over Wisconsin at Pearl Field to earn a Big Ten series win. The Hawkeyes won the opener, 10-4, before falling 2-0 in the series finale.
Junior Devyn Greer had a career day in the opener, going 4-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs. Jaylee Ojo (3-1) earned the win in the circle, allowing four runs on seven hits and striking out four over 4 1/3 innings.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
Iowa got the offense going early, loading the bases in the first before Greer cleared the bases with a three-run double to left field, giving the Hawkeyes a 3-0 lead.
After Wisconsin got one run back in the top of the third, Iowa stretched its lead to 6-1 in with a three-run third. Greer and sophomore Avery Jackson had back-to-back doubles with Jackson’s two-run two-bagger pushing the Hawkeye lead to five runs.
Iowa continued to pile it on in fourth. A triple from freshman Soo-Jin Berry played the first run and Sammy Diaz followed with an RBI single extend the lead to 8-1.
Wisconsin pushed three runs across the plate in the top of the fifth to force a pitching change. Maren Judisch struck out a pair over 2 2/3 hitless frames, retiring all eight batters she faced, to earn the save.
Young (2-for-3, two runs), Berry (3-for-5, three runs) and Greer (4-for-4, four RBIs) accounted for nine of Iowa’s 12 hits in the game.
Game 2
The Hawkeyes didn’t have an answer for Wisconsin pitcher Tessa Magnanimo in game two as the Badger hurler scattered three hits over seven shutout innings and fanned five in a 2-0 victory.
The Badgers used small ball – a sacrifice bunt from Emmy Wells – to knock in the game’s first run in the first and doubled their lead with a Wells home run in the fourth.
Sophomore Jalen Adams (7-6) allowed two runs on five hits and fanned three over in the complete game.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes return to from March 29-31, hosting Michigan State for a three-game series at Pearl Field.