April 16, 2004
BLOOMINGTON, IN – Senior starter Nathan Johnson struck out a career-high 14 batters and got some support from the Hawkeye bats as Iowa won, 7-3, in the series opener against Indiana at Sembower Field.
Johnson allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits in the opening two frames, but proceeded to shut down the Indiana bats in the complete game victory. The senior right hander scattered three hits over the final seven innings and walked only two batters in the game.
The Hawkeyes battled back from a three run deficit and took a 5-3 lead with three runs in the top of the fifth. After a lead-off walk by L.J. Mims, freshman Jason White lifted a fly ball that got up in the wind and carried over the right field fence to give the Hawkeyes their first lead of the day. After a fly out, catcher Kris Welker reached on an error and advanced to second on a Jim Reid groundout. Right fielder Nate Yoho gave Iowa the two-run lead when he lashed an RBI single underneath Hoosier first baseman Joe Kemp’s glove and into right field to knock in Welker.
The Hawkeyes added a couple of insurance runs in the seventh. Second baseman Andy Lytle singled, stole second and advanced to third on an error by Indiana centerfielder Reggie Watson to get things started. After a groundout, Lytle crossed the plate on a wild pitch by Hoosier reliever Adam Pegg. Reid followed with a double into the left centerfield gap and advanced to third after Indiana catcher Cody Wargo tried a snap throw to second that rolled into shallow centerfield. The miscue helped the Hawkeyes as Reid scored the second run of the inning on a Yoho sacrifice fly.
Indiana jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first two frames. The Hoosiers used three straight singles to jump out to an early two run lead in the first. In the second, right fielder Ryan Donley led off the inning with a solo shot deep over the left field fence.
Iowa began chipping away at the deficit with runs in the third and fourth innings. With two outs, Lytle singled and scored on Welker’s double to the left center field wall.
In the fourth, the Hawkeyes played a little small ball to plate their second run of the game. After Yoho’s lead-off single, Luis Andrulonis advanced him up on the base paths with a sacrifice bunt down the third base line. First baseman Andy Cox flew out to right field, but heads up base running moved Yoho to third base. The awareness on the bases paid off as Yoho scored on a Josh Lewis wild pitch.
Yoho and Lytle each collected two hits and scored two runs in the contest. White’s fifth inning homerun was the first of his Hawkeye career.
Tomorrow, the two teams will play a doubleheader at Sembrower Field beginning 1 p.m.