UI Athletics news release
Feb. 7, 2026 | Complete Release
Iowa Softball
Communications Contact: Adrian Delgado
Hawkeyes Rally To Beat Samford, UConn
HOW IT HAPPENED
Tallahassee, Fla. – The University of Iowa softball recorded two come-from-behind wins on Saturday, upending Samford (3-2) and UConn (10-9), on JoAnne Graf Field. Iowa improved to 3-1 overall after day two of the JoAnne Graf Classic.
Game 1
Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning, Avery Jackson started things off with a leadoff double and soon advanced to third after a well-executed sacrifice bunt by Echo Mattiello. With a runner at third and only one away, Mariah Myers launched the ball to deep center field for a two-run homer to give the Hawkeyes the lead.
Avery Sapp opened the contest for Iowa in the circle, retiring the side in order to kick things off. Samford struck first in the second inning. Back-to-back hits put runners on the corners, allowing a sacrifice fly to score the first run of the game for the Bulldogs.
Iowa answered in the bottom half of the frame; Kiyah Chavez and Devin Bowman worked back-to-back walks, allowing Jackson to tie the game with an RBI single. The Bulldogs retook the lead in the third with a solo home run to left field.
After the round-tripper, Serayah Neiss entered the circle and silenced the Samford bats, retiring the next three batters. The Bulldogs threatened in the fifth when a one-out triple put the tying run 60 feet away. The southpaw managed to close out the frame with back-to-back outs and secured the victory by retiring the last eight batters.
Game 2
Iowa posted a dramatic walk-off victory over UConn, scoring the final seven runs.
The Huskies led 9-7 and retired the first two Hawkeyes in the bottom of the seventh inning, but the next four Hawkeye hitters reached base. Tory Bennett kept the inning alive with a double and scored when Devin Simon followed with a double of her own. Brianna Johnson represented the tying run after reaching on a hit-by-pitch, and for the second time in the contest, Kiara Sipe knocked a double off the wall, scoring both runners to clinch the walk-off win.
UConn built an early lead early, scoring five in the first inning. The first run scored on a Hawkeye error. Two more scored on a bases-loaded single. The Huskies capped their strong start with a two-run double.
Iowa struck back in their half of the inning; Mattiello led off with a walk and moved to second after Myers reached on an error. Leah McAnally cut the deficit to two with a towering home run over the left field wall.
The Huskies added four runs to extend their lead to 9-3 in the fourth inning on five hits, including three consecutive doubles.
Jackson cut the deficit to five with a solo blast in the bottom of the fifth. With the bases loaded in the sixth inning, Sipe ripped a double to center field to make the score 9-6. Two batters later, a Jackson sacrifice fly made the score 9-7.
Neiss recorded the win, taking over the circle in the top of the seventh. She promptly recorded a 1-2-3 inning, making way for the offense to comeback and earn the walk-off.
HEAR FROM HEAD COACH STACY MAY-JOHNSON
“Kiara Sipe is clutch. She’s ready for the moment. She’s never afraid of the moment and went up there and made a big swing. Sereyah came in and did a great job in both outings. That was a great team win; one to nine and the pitching staff did great. We have several gritty competitors. Down six runs, so what? Who cares? We did a great job keeping ourselves in the game on both sides of the ball. The moment presented itself and we got the job done.”
NOTABLES
- Sipe went 2-4 on the day, smacking two doubles and recording four RBIs
- The Hawkeyes recorded three homers and six doubles — for a total of nine extra base hits — in the two combined games
- Neiss registered the win in both games. She finished the day with 4.2 total innings pitched and three strikeouts, allowing only one hit and no walks.
- The Hawkeyes batted .500 on the day with runners in scoring position
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes close out competition at the JoAnne Graf Classic on Sunday against Marshall at 10:30 a.m. (CT).