Iowa softball player wins league honor

Iowa’s Alicia Gerlach has been named the Big Ten Conference softball player of the week. The Senior from Moline was eight of 14 from the plate, with five R-B-I and a pair of homers, including a game winner against Purdue.Iowa coach Gayle Blevins says Gerlach’s performance was one of many for the week. The Hawkeyes are 6-0 in the Big Ten and after losing six seniors from last year’s team that advanced to the College World Series and Blevins says the newcomers have blended in well and learned the system.Iowa always plays a demanding schedule early in the season and Blevins feels the unbeaten start in the Big Ten may be a result of that tough early road.Iowa visits Drake tomorrow in non-conference action.