Iowa Softball Falls to #16 Washington, 16-7

Hawkeyes strike early but can't hold off Huskies' offensive onslaught

Mar. 28, 2026 at 8:51am

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The University of Iowa softball team fell to No. 16 Washington, 16-7, on Friday evening at Pearl Field in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, but the Huskies responded with four runs in the third inning and seven more in the fourth to pull away.

Why it matters

The loss drops Iowa's record to 0-1 on the season, while the Huskies improve to 1-0. This early-season matchup between the two programs provides an important test for the Hawkeyes as they look to build momentum heading into Big Ten play.

The details

Iowa struck first with an RBI single from junior Leah McAnally and an RBI double from senior Tory Bennett to take a 3-0 lead. But Washington answered with two home runs in the third inning to take a 4-3 advantage. The Huskies then broke the game open with a seven-run fourth inning, capitalizing on more home runs. Iowa scored two late runs in the seventh, but it wasn't enough to overcome Washington's offensive onslaught.

  • The game was played on Friday, March 27, 2026.
  • Iowa scored three runs in the first two innings to take an early 3-0 lead.
  • Washington scored four runs in the third inning to take a 4-3 lead.
  • The Huskies added seven runs in the fourth inning to pull away.
  • Iowa scored two runs in the seventh inning, but lost by a final score of 16-7.

The players

Leah McAnally

A junior on the Iowa softball team who had three hits and two RBIs in the game.

Devin Simon

A junior on the Iowa softball team who drew a leadoff walk in the first inning.

Avery Jackson

A senior on the Iowa softball team who scored a run and drove in another with a sacrifice fly.

Tory Bennett

A senior on the Iowa softball team who hit an RBI double in the second inning.

Nailyn Marshall

A redshirt sophomore on the Iowa softball team who hit a solo home run in the third inning.

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What they’re saying

“We struck early, but Washington's offense was just too much for us to handle today. We'll learn from this experience and come back stronger tomorrow.”

— Leah McAnally, Iowa Softball Player

What’s next

The Hawkeyes will look to bounce back on Saturday when they face Washington again at 1 p.m. in the second game of the weekend series.

The takeaway

This loss highlights the challenges Iowa will face against top-ranked opponents like Washington early in the season, but also provides an opportunity for the Hawkeyes to learn and improve as they prepare for Big Ten play.