Softball drops first two at Littlewood Classic

(Illinois State box) / (Iowa box)

2/18/05 -- Long Island dropped its first two games of the season, 10-1 to Illinois State and 4-0 in a rain-shortened game against Iowa at the Littlewood Classic at Arizona State on Friday.

In the first game, senior Briana Mathiesen homered to right in the top of the fifth with one out to break the shutout for the Blackbirds. LIU proceeded to load the bases but the rally was htitleed when Stacy Birk struck out the final batter to get out of the inning.

After a scoreless first inning, Randi Patton started the rally in the second with a homer as ISU closed the inning with six runs and five hits. In the bottom of the third with the bases loaded, Tricia Gaither doubled to clear the bases and give the Redbirds a 9-0 edge.

Jackie Brown took the loss, pitching four innings and giving up ten earned runs, 11 hits and four walks. Birk went the distance for the Redbirds, allowing three hits with four strikeouts.

Chelsea Crosby took the loss in the second game against Iowa, giving up four earned runs and nine hits, walking two and striking out one. Ali Arnold went the distance for the Hawkeyes, allowing just one hit, striking out 11 and walking none.

The first inning was scoreless in the second game as well and a two-out single from Summer Downs plated the first Iowa run in the next frame. The Hawkeyes picked up another run in the third and two more in the sixth when Downs singled to left for her second RBI and then scored on an illegal picth with two outs.

Brittany Murphy recorded the lone hit for the Blackbirds (0-2). All of the games scheduled for Saturday have been cancelled due to heavy rain in the area.