—www.hawkeyesports.com Fort Dodge graduate tory bennett throws to first base against Nebraska in Iowa's home opener on Tuesday.

IOWA CITY — The Iowa softball team split their 2023 home opener on Tuesday, winning the opener against Nebraska before falling in the nightcap.

The Hawkeyes (21-13 overall, 3-2 in the Big Ten) doubled up the Cornhuskers (24-10, 4-1) by a 4-2 final in game one. Nebraska posted a 9-3 victory to salvage the split.

Fort Dodge Senior High graduates Tristin Doster and Tory Bennett started both contests for Iowa. Doster, a sophomore, had a hit and a run scored. Bennett, a freshman, recorded two hits.

Sammy Diaz drove in a pair of runs in the victory, with Brylee Klosterman providing a solo home run for insurance after Nebraska had trimmed the deficit to 3-2.

Senior Breanna Vasquez (11-2) went six strong innings, allowing two runs on five hits and struck out two. Junior Denali Loecker closed out the contest and picked up her fourth save of the season.

Klosterman finished the afternoon going 3-for-5 with a walk, two RBIs, and three runs scored.

Freshman Jalen Adams — another former Dodger all-stater — got the start in the nightcap. Nebraska snapped a 1-1 tie in the fourth with four runs, socking a pair of homers and an RBI single.

“Being back home in front of our fans and on our field was great, and it was a beautiful day for softball in Iowa,” Hawkeye head coach Renee Gillispie said. “We did a great job defensively and came through with the clutch hits that we weren’t getting earlier in the season. Everyone did their job today against a tough Nebraska team.

“We would have loved to come away with two, but I am happy about where we are sitting early on in conference play.”

Iowa faces No. 23 Northwestern at home for a three-game set this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.