Hawkeyes Softball Drops Doubleheader to Indiana

Iowa falls 2-1 and 9-7 in extra innings against the Hoosiers

Apr. 19, 2026 at 7:49am

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A cubist-style painting featuring overlapping geometric shapes and planes in navy, green, and orange hues, conceptually representing the back-and-forth action of a softball game.A fragmented, cubist-inspired illustration captures the intensity and drama of the Iowa-Indiana softball doubleheader.Iowa City Today

The University of Iowa softball team lost both games of a Saturday doubleheader against Indiana at Pearl Field, falling 2-1 in the opener and 9-7 in 10 innings in the second game.

Why it matters

The Hawkeyes were unable to capitalize on several scoring opportunities, losing a pair of close games against a conference rival. These losses are a setback in Iowa's season as they look to improve their Big Ten standing.

The details

In the first game, Indiana took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning, but Iowa tied it up in the fourth on a solo home run by Kiara Sipe. The Hoosiers regained the lead in the fifth and held on for the 2-1 win. In the second game, Indiana jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but Iowa rallied to take a 7-2 advantage in the sixth inning. However, the Hoosiers scored five runs in the seventh to tie it, then added two more in the 10th to win 9-7.

  • The doubleheader took place on Saturday, April 18, 2026 in Iowa City, Iowa.
  • Indiana took a 1-0 lead in the second inning of the first game.
  • Kiara Sipe hit a solo home run in the fourth inning of the first game to tie the score 1-1.
  • Indiana scored the game-winning run in the fifth inning of the first game.
  • Indiana jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning of the second game.

The players

Kiara Sipe

An Iowa softball player who hit a solo home run in the first game.

Mariah Myers

An Iowa softball player who led off the second game with a double.

Echo Mattiello

An Iowa softball player who drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the second game.

Nailyn Marshall

An Iowa softball player who singled to drive in a run and also walked to load the bases in the second game.

Stacy May-Johnson

The head coach of the Iowa softball team.

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What they’re saying

“We had a lot of opportunities to win these games; we've just got to close it out.”

— Stacy May-Johnson, Head Coach

What’s next

The Hawkeyes will look to bounce back in their next series against a Big Ten opponent as they continue their conference schedule.

The takeaway

Despite strong offensive performances, the Iowa softball team was unable to hold on to leads in both games of the doubleheader, highlighting the need to finish games and capitalize on scoring opportunities against conference rivals.