SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The Quinnipiac University softball team made school history in their first day of play in the San Diego II Tournament. The Bobcats defeated Iowa State, 8-3, in their second game of the day, marking the program’s first-ever win against a Big 12 Conference team in their Division I history. Quinnipiac lost its first game of the day to the University of Miami (OH), 3-0. The Bobcats record now stands at 2-11.

In the first game against Miami, Kelly Wall (Westport, Conn.) went 2-3 with two singles, while Christine Bourdeau (Seymour, Conn.) and Heather Maffeo (Milton, Mass.) each went 1-3. The Bobcats best scoring opportunity came when pinch runner Alex Murray (Milford, Mass.) reached third base in the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs, but the following batter grounded out to first for the final out of the game.

Jamie Iaquinto (Dix Hills, N.Y.) started on the mound for Quinnipiac, but was relieved by Emily Bellush (Newton, Mass.) in the second inning after giving up four walks in 1 1/3 innings. Bellush allowed six hits and two runs in her performance, striking out two.

“We just didn’t hit enough to score runs,” said Head Coach Germaine Fairchild. “The pitching performance was good, but we didn’t perform at the plate.

The Bobcats’ bats came alive in the second game against Iowa State University, defeating the Cyclones, 8-3. Freshman pitcher Heather Schwartzburg (Mission Viejo, Calif.) held Iowa State to a 1-hitter until the bottom of the sixth inning when they collected their three runs. It was Schwartzburg’s second win of the season.

Maffeo went 3-4 for the Bobcats with a homerun, two runs and two RBI. Bourdeau was 1-3 at the plate with a walk and a stolen base and Rachel Felker (The Woodlands, Tx.) was 2-3 at the plate. Maffeo and Angela Casella (Oceanside, N.Y.) each picked up two RBI apiece for Quinnipiac, while Joelle Jacobsen (Flemington, N.J) and Kim Brzezinski (Tinley Park, Ill.) earned a run each.

Schwartzburg pitched the complete game, allowing four hits and three runs. She faced 27 batters, striking out six and walking one.

“It felt good to get that big win,” said Fairchild. “Schwartzburg pitched excellent against a very offensive-minded team. Maffeo came up big for us going 3-4 with the homerun and our offense did a great job getting on base and bringing runners home.”

The Bobcats return to action tomorrow in their second day of play in the San Diego II Tournament. Quinnipiac will face Oklahoma State at 5 p.m. and San Diego State at 10 p.m. All games listed in Eastern Standard Time.