May 16, 2004
IOWA CITY – The Hawkeyes scored six runs in the final two innings, but it wasn’t enough as the Boilermakers salvaged the series split with an 11-7 victory on a sunny afternoon at Duane Banks Field.
Purdue shortstop Mitch Koester, almost single handedly, led the Boilermakers to the victory. The senior was 5-for-5 in the game with five RBIs and three runs and was only a triple short of batting for the cycle. Koester started his day with a three-run blast in the second inning to stretch his team’s lead to 4-0.
Iowa got a run back in the bottom of the third when Nate Yoho hit a sacrifice fly to right field to knock in Andy Lytle. The Boilermakers, however, extended their lead to 10-1 after scoring six runs over the next four innings.
The Iowa bats came alive to score three runs in the eighth and ninth innings. In the eighth, the Hawkeyes loaded the bases and Kris Welker recorded an RBI on his 15 hit by pitch this season. Senior Jim Reid scored on a wild pitch by reliever Jay Buente and Yoho crossed the plate on a Jesse Brownell sacrifice fly.
After allowing Boilermaker run in the top of the ninth, the Iowa bats collected five singles. Freshman Jeff Engel recorded his first career hit with a single through the left side to start things off. After Reid and Yoho singled with one out, Welker pushed a run across the plate with a sacrifice fly to centerfield. Pinch hitter Mike Mogard loaded the bases with a base knock, before Brownell fisted a two-run single into the right centerfield gap to make the final score 11-7.
Purdue starter Chris Toneguzzi picked up his third win of the season after allowing one earned run on four hits in 6 1/3 innings. The righthander retired the Hawkeyes in order in the fifth inning.
Reid became the second Hawkeye in as many weeks to tie the school record with four singles in a game to match Luis Andrulonis’ effort against Minnesota last weekend. The senior designated hitter went 4-for-5 with two runs scored. Brownell drove in three runs in a 2-for-3 day at the plate.
Iowa will play a midweek game at Illinois State on Wednesday night beginning at 6 p.m. in Normal, IL.