UI Athletics news release
Hawkeye Softball Splits on Day 1 of 2025 Season
CLEARWATER, Florida — The University of Iowa softball team went, 1-1, on day one of the NFCA Leadoff Classic at Eddie C. Moore Complex on Friday. Iowa defeated Kennesaw State, 5-0, before falling to No. 5/6 Tennessee, 10-1 (5 innings).
Junior Jalen Adams (1-0) got the start against the Owls in game one throwing a complete game one-hitter to kick off the 2025 season. She picked up a career-high 10 strikeouts. Junior Torry Bennett went 2-for-4 with one run scored and freshman Allyssa Ramos went 1-for-2 with two RBIs. The Hawkeyes used four different arms in game two against the Lady Vols where freshman Talia Tretton (0-1) got the start. Redshirt junior Desiree Rivera picked up one of the two Hawkeye hits and drove in the lone run of the game.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
Adams got the start in the circle for the Hawkeyes and retired the Owls in order picking up two strikeouts. Iowa was able to load the bases in the home half of the first but was unable to capitalize. Adams kept Kennesaw’s offense off balance in the second as she struck out the side. She was able to work around a leadoff walk in the third picking up two more strikeouts to get her total to seven, matching her career-high.
The Hawkeyes scattered baserunners in the second and third innings, but the game held scoreless through four innings of play. Iowa started the bottom of the fifth with back-to-back singles from sophomores Jena Young and Soo-Jin Berry. Bennett game the Hawkeyes the lead, 2-0, with an RBI single down the left field line. Freshman Brianna Johnson picked up her first career RBI on a sac fly to left to score Bennett. Iowa tacked on two more runs in the innings on RBI singles from Rivera and sophomore Devin Bowman.
Adams continued to roll through the Owls offense retiring them in order in the sixth and seventh to secure the victory for the Hawkeyes. Adams finished the game with a career-high 10 strikeouts.
Iowa finished the game with five runs on nine hits. Kennesaw finished the game with no runs on one hit and had one error.
Game 2
Iowa’s lone run came in the second inning as Rivera delivered a single down the left field line, driving in Ramos who led off the inning with a hit-by-pitch.
In the circle, Tretton held Tennessee scoreless in the first two innings and limited the damage to one run in the third to tie the game, 1-1.
Tennessee capilized in the fourth after the Hawkeyes walked the bases loaded and then scored runs on a sacrifice fly and an RBI single to extend its lead, 3-1. The Lady Vols blew it open in the fifth plating seven runs on three hits and three free passes. Iowa was unable to extend the game and was retired in order to end the game in five innings.
The Hawkeyes finished the game with no runs on two hits while the Tennessee had 10 runs on eight hits.
HEAR FROM INTERIM HEAD COACH BRIAN LEVIN
“These early season games help us find out where we are as a team. Today we showed moments of being a very good team and moments we struggled. Our development as a team comes from our ability to learn from the struggles and improve. That is what we intend to do.”
NOTABLES
- Adams set a career-high for strikeouts with 10 in game one
- 10 strikeouts by Adams is the most in a season opener by a single pitcher for Iowa since 2019 (Allison Doocy, 14)
- Six Hawkeyes made their debuts in the black and gold, including five collegiate debuts
- Fourth straight season that Iowa has won its opening game of the season
- Second season in a row that Iowa has opened the season with a shutout victory
UP NEXT
Iowa (1-1) returns to action Saturday to face Marshall and No. 10 Texas Tech at 2 and 5 p.m. (CT), respectively on day two on the NFCA Leadoff Classic. Both games will be streamed live on the GameChanger app.
