UI Athletics news release
Tallahassee, Fla. – The University of Iowa softball split day one of the JoAnne Graf Classic with two five-inning games at JoAnne Graf Classic on Friday. Iowa defeated Samford 9-1 (five innings), before falling to No. 7 Florida State, 12-3 (five innings).
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
Iowa used a three-run first inning and a five-run fourth to secure a 9-1 win over Samford in the season opener, marking the first meeting between the two programs.
Senior Echo Mattiello led off the game with a single and scored on a double by freshman Mariah Myers in her first collegiate at-bat. Myers later scored on a sacrifice fly by senior Tori Bennett before freshman McKenzie Leitgen capped the inning with a solo home run to center field, giving Iowa a 3-0 lead.
The Hawkeyes added a run in the third when Bennett walked, advanced on a single by junior Leah McAnally and scored on a successful double steal. Samford got on the board in the fourth with a solo home run, but Iowa responded with five runs in the bottom half of the inning.
McAnally drove in two runs with a double off the left-field wall, while junior Devin Simon, freshman Kiyah Chavez and senior Avery Jackson contributed during the inning as Iowa pushed the lead to 9-1.
Freshman Carly Brewer earned the win in relief, allowing two hits and one run over 2 2/3 innings. Iowa finished with nine runs on 11 hits, including six extra-base hits.
Game 2
No. 7 Florida State scored in each of the first three innings and defeated Iowa 12-3 in five innings.
The Seminoles plated one run in the first before breaking the game open with five runs in the second, highlighted by a three-run home run. Florida State added three more runs in the third to extend its lead to 8-0.
Iowa responded in the fourth inning as redshirt sophomore Nailyn Marshall reached on a hit-by-pitch and McAnally recorded her second two-run double of the day. Leitgen followed with an RBI extra-base hit to cut the deficit to 8-3.
Florida State loaded the bases in the fifth and ended the game with a walk-off grand slam.
HEAR FROM HEAD COACH STACY MAY-JOHNSON
“We swung the bats well overall, In the first game against Samford, we were crisp and made the defensive plays we needed. In the second game against Florida State, we struggled defensively, and that has to improve. We can’t beat good teams if we don’t play good softball. Carly Brewer and Braylen Conlon looked strong in the circle, and McKenzie Leitgen and Mariah Myers both had impressive performances at the plate. It’s a very bright future when your players start their college careers playing like that.”
NOTABLES
- Iowa opened the 2026 season with a 9-1, five-inning run-rule victory over Samford
- First meeting between Iowa and Samford
- McKenzie Leitgen homered in her first collegiate at-bat
- Leah McAnally went 4-for-6 with four RBIs on the day
- Six Hawkeyes recorded extra-base hits in the season opener
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes return to action tomorrow to face Samford and UConn at 9 and 11:30 a.m. (CT), respectively on day two of the JoAnne Graf Classic.