March 6, 2004
OZARK, MO – The Iowa baseball team (1-4) lost both games of the doubleheader against Southwest Missouri State (3-5) at Price Cutter Park. Iowa fell in the opener, 8-5 and lost in the second game, 17-5.
SMS came out of the gates swinging in game one of the doubleheader, scoring five runs on six hits in the first two innings. DH Justin DePreist recorded the game’s first RBI on a groundout. In the second, the Bears had two triples and scored three runs to push their advantage to 5-0.
The Hawkeyes battled back and batted around to put up a four spot in the fourth inning to get back in the game. C Kris Welker had a RBI single and 2B Jason White drew a bases loaded walk off SMS starter Brett Sinkbeil. Righthander Jeff Gray relieved Sinkbeil with the bases juiced and got out of the inning unharmed for the Bears.
Sinkbeil had a chance to get out of the inning unscathed in the fourth, but an error by SMS shortstop Toby Gardenhire, on what would have been an inning-ending double play, kept the Iowa rally alive.
With bases loaded in the fifth, sophomore Tim Gudex replaced Iowa starter Nathan Johnson, who allowed six runs on 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings. Gudex struck out SMS pinch hitter Jake Manning looking on three pitches to end the inning.
SMS added two insurance runs in the eighth on three hits, giving the Bears an 8-5 lead. Iowa avoided further trouble when they got out of the bases loaded jam with an inning ending 4-6-3 doubleplay.
Gudex pitched 2 1/3 strong innings for the Hawkeyes, allowing one run on two hits and striking out three. Gray struck out six in 5 2/3 innings of three hit ball to pick up his first win of the season.
In game two, the Hawkeyes took a 5-4 lead in the top of the fifth inning on a towering two-run homerun over the left field wall by LF Jesse Brownell. The Bears answered with three runs in the bottom half of the fifth off of Iowa pitcher Casey O’Rourke to take a 7-5 lead. The inning was highlighted by two-RBI triple by SMS shortstop Ryan Gotcher.
SMS broke the game open in the bottom of the eighth inning when they scored 10 runs on eight hits, including doubles by Gotcher and Matt Weglarz.
CF L.J. Mims, who was 3-for-5 with three runs scored, crossed the plate for the Hawkeyes in the first, third and fifth innings. DH Mike Mogard scored Iowa’s second inning run on an RBI single by White.
SMS scored two runs in the first and fourth innings off of Iowa starter Austin Seward. Seward allowed four runs on eight hits in four innings before being replaced O’Rourke.
The Iowa pitching staff got roughed up in the two games against the Bears, giving up 25 runs on 33 hits.
Iowa and SMS will face off in the finale of the three-game series on Sunday beginning at 1 p.m. at Price Cutter Park.