The wins improved Iowa to 14-8. The Hornets, who had their three-game winning streak snapped, fell to 11-13.

In the first game, the Hawkeyes broke a 1-1 tie when pinch hitter Elisha Huse singled to right field scoring Jenna Spratt. Iowa then gunned down Leslie Mayhorn at the plate in the bottom half of the inning to secure the win.

The Hawkeyes struck first with a run in the top of the first inning. With runners on the corner, Laura Chipman was thrown out trying to steal second base. However, Emily Gerlick beat the return throw to the plate. Neither team was able to score until the fifth inning when the Hornets tied the game on a line drive up the middle from Mayhorn.

Ali Arnold went the distance to earn the win and improve to 8-4. Nicole Deatherage (5-5) suffered the loss and had her streak of consecutive innings without allowing an earned run end at 36.2.

Iowa scored four runs in the third inning of the second game and added two more in the sixth to walk away with an easy victory. With one out, Amanda Hentges started the first rally with a double to left center. Emily Gerlic, Mindy Heidgerken and Kylie Murray all followed with singles to make the score 2-0. An additional run scored on a groundout from Staci May and a single from Lisa Birocci.

Birocci also recorded a complete game to raise her record to 6-4. She also added a pair of hits while striking out four and allowing just four hits.

Offensively, Jessica Rojo was 2-for-3 in the second game, including a triple. No Hornet had multiple hits in the first game.

Both Iowa and Sacramento State will compete in the Capital Classic beginning on Friday, March 19. The tournament features 11 teams and 28 games.

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