Badgers Dropped by Hawkeyes, 10-2
May 06, 2006 | Softball
The Wisconsin softball team held a 2-1 lead entering the sixth inning but could not hold on against Iowa, dropping a 10-2 decision to the Hawkeyes Saturday afternoon at the Goodman Softball Complex. Sophomore Katie Hnatyk went 2-for-4 with a home run and a triple in the effort.
Eden Brock suffered the loss, falling to 17-13 on the season. The junior lasted 6.1 innings and give up 10 runs on 15 hits. Only five of the runs were earned.
Brittany Weil earned the win for the Hawkeyes, holding the Badgers to two runs on seven hits in the complete game. Weil also had five strikeouts on the day.
With Wisconsin down 1-0 in the first, Hnatyk tied the score in the bottom of the inning when she crushed Weil's pitch to deep to left field for her 10th homer of the season. Ten home runs is a career high for the sophomore, and 19 career long balls is the second most on Wisconsin's all-time list.
Hnatyk struck again in the bottom of the third when she sent a two-out triple down the right-field line. The three-bagger was Hnatyk's third of the season.
With Hnatyk in scoring position, Joey Daniels stepped up and delivered a single into right-center field to plate Hnatyk and give the Badgers a 2-1 lead. The RBI was Daniels' 23rd of the year and her 17th with two outs.
In the fifth, Daniels hit a double to straightaway center, her sixth of the season. Combining Daniels and Hnatyk, Wisconsin's third and fourth hitters in the order combined to hit for the cycle.
Wisconsin fell in the hole right away, giving up one run in the first when the Hawkeyes loaded the bases on two base hits and a fielder's choice. With one down, Kylie Murray singled to short to plate Stacy May, but shortstop Lynn Anderson cut down Mindy Heidgerken at the plate trying to score from second.
Brock was lights-out after the first, not allowing a hit until the top of the fifth when May dropped a single into right-center. Heidgerken followed with an infield single and the Hawkeyes loaded the bases on a single to right off the bat of Emily Nichols, but a strong throw from Hnatyk held pinch-runner Rachel West at third. Brock then induced Summer Downs into a ground-out to end the inning.
The Hawkeyes again loaded the bases in the sixth, this time with no outs, on the strength of three straight singles. Pinch-hitter Quinn Morelock singled with one out to bring in Erin Riemersma and May struck the big blow with a bases-clearing double to left-center to give Iowa the 5-2 lead.
Iowa tacked on five more runs in the top of the seventh, all of which were unearned. After reaching on a throwing error, Summer Downs touched home on a wile pitch and Emily Gerlick put a double into left field to plate Riemersma, who reached on a single. Morelock followed with a single of her own, driving in Sami Baugh from third, forcing Brock from the game.
The Hawkeyes got one run off reliever Megan Smith on Emily Nichols ' sacrifice fly, setting the score at the 10-2 final.
With the loss, Wisconsin is eliminated from the Big Ten Tournament. The Badgers conclude their season against the Hawkeyes Sunday at Noon at the Goodman Softball Complex.
