By Hawkeyeports.com

DES MOINES, Iowa — The University of Iowa softball team defeated in-state foe Drake (5-2) on Wednesday at Buel Field.

Freshman Jalen Adams got her 13th start of the season. She went three innings allowing two runs on five hits and struck out four hitters. Senior Breanna Vasquez made her fourth relief appearance of the season going three innings and striking out four.

The Hawkeye hitters recorded 12 hits. Reigning Big Ten Player of the Week, Nia Carter, continued to stay hot going 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Junior Brylee Klosterman had herself a day going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.

HOW IT HAPPENED   

Adams picked up two strikeouts in the first inning and worked around a one-out single. Sophomore Tristin Doster was inches away from a home run in the second as it ricocheted off the wall for a two-out double. Klosterman followed it up with a double of her own to give the Hawkeyes the 1-0 lead.

Carter led off the third with an infield single. Iowa was able to get runners on first and second, but the Bulldogs’ defense turned a double play to end the threat. In the home half of the third, Drake tied the game on a two-out double to score a runner from first. They then took a 2-1 advantage on a single through the left side. Adams got a big strikeout to end the inning and strand two runners.

In the fourth, the Hawkeyes got two runners on with one out. Klosterman came through again with a single up the middle to tie the contest. Carter then drove a single to right field to bring home two and give Iowa the 4-2 lead. Vasquez entered the circle in the bottom of the fourth in relief of Adams and got one strikeout in her opening frame of work.

Junior Sammy Diaz singled to center in the top of the fifth and came around to score on an RBI single from junior Denali Loecker as Iowa extended its lead to three. Drake loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning; Vasquez locked in and struck out the side to strand all three runners.

The Bulldogs threated again in the sixth as they got back-to-back hits with one out. The Hawkeyes got the final out of the inning when Coach Gillispie challenged a play and the call was overturned after video review

Loecker entered the game in the seventh and picked up her sixth save of the season to close out the game.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH RENEE GILLISPIE

“These in-state matchups are always fun and exciting to play in. Brylee and Nia came through with the clutch hits today to help us be in a position to win. We are going to ride this momentum into a big weekend series with Maryland.”

HEAR FROM THE DENALI LOECKER

“In-state games always bring an intense and competitive energy. I think at the beginning of the game we were playing tight and we got away from our game. Once the game went on, we settled down and got back to Iowa softball.”

NOTABLES 

• Banes extended her on-base streak to 14 games.
• Carter set a new career-high for hits in a season (68).
• Carter had her ninth three-hit game of the season.
• Iowa leads the all-time series over Drake, 39-16.

UP NEXT   

Iowa (26-15, 7-4) returns to action on Friday with a three-game series with Maryland at Bob Pearl Field. Due to expected weather, the teams will play a doubleheader on Friday starting at 3 p.m. (CT). The contest will be streamed on B1G+ (subscription required) and broadcast on Hawkeye Radio Network.