April 6, 2004
IOWA CITY – Junior Jeff Gremley hit a two-run triple and scored on a throwing error on the same play to give Iowa a 11-10 come-from-behind win over Illinois State at Duane Banks Field on Tuesday night.
In the ninth with one out, Luis Andrulonis and Mike Best started the Iowa rally with back-to-back singles to start the inning. After a strikeout, second baseman Andy Lytle hit an RBI double and put the tying run in scoring position. Gremley came to the plate and fell behind 0-2 before lining a triple into the right centerfield gap. Redbird centerfielder Nate Whitney dove to try and make the play, but the ball got past him and rolled to the wall. With Gremley chucking around the bases, Illinois State second baseman Brian Wilkin bobbled the throw allowing Gremley to cross the plate standing up and give the Hawkeyes’ the much need victory.
In the eighth, the Illinois State’s eighth and ninth hitters reached base to start the inning. Sophomore Tim Gudex struck out Nate Whitney for the first out before giving up a single to Chris Shepherd and plunking catcher Jay Molina. Pickrel, who came into the game with seven homeruns, blasted Gudex’s pitch deep over the right field fence to give Illinois State a 10-7 advantage.
The Hawkeyes and Redbirds traded three spots in the seventh inning. Illinois State catcher Jay Molina hit a solo shot with one out and right fielder Matt Bolt hit a two-run bomb over the left field fence to momentarily give the Redbirds a 5-4 lead.
In the bottom half of the inning, Iowa strung together six hits to score three runs of their own to regain the lead 7-5. Petty, who went 2-fo-5 with three RBIs in his Hawkeye debut, hit a key two-run single thru the right side to plate Brownell and Yoho. Lytle followed with a single to right field, but Andrulonis was thrown out at the plate trying to score from second.
Illinois State starter Dan Frega struggled with his control in the first inning as Iowa jumped out to a 2-0 lead. Frega plunked Jeff Gremley and walked L.J. Mims to start the game. Both runners moved up on the base paths on a wild pitch and Gremley crossed the plate on a balk. Catcher Kris Welker drove in the second run on an RBI groundout to second base.
It is the first time that the Hawkeyes have scored the game’s first run since playing Dartmouth on March 19 in Florida.
Iowa pitcher Casey O’Rourke got some help from the defense behind him in the second and third innings. Illinois State scored one in the second after they got back-to-back doubles from Brian Wilkin and Nate Whitney. The Redbirds then loaded the bases, but O’Rourke forced Lucas Baughman to ground into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.
In the third, O’Rourke gave up a leadoff double to Matt Bolt and walked Kyle O’Brien to put two runners on base with one out. For the second straight inning, the Iowa defense got its pitcher out of trouble with another double play to end the inning.
Iowa had a season-high 17 hits, including three-hit efforts from Andrulonis and Lytle. Three Hawkeyes had a pair of hits in the game. Gudex picked up his second win of the season.
The Hawkeyes will take on the Iowa Cubs tomorrow night at 7:05 at Sec Taylor Stadium in Des Moines.