March 5, 2005
SPRINGFIELD, MO – The University of Iowa baseball team lost game two of a three-game series at Southwest Missouri State Saturday, 8-6. The Hawkeyes (1-3) and Bears (3-6) will finish the series tomorrow at 1 p.m.
The Hawkeyes led 6-5 heading into the bottom of the fifth, when the Bears loaded the bases off Iowa relief pitcher Travis Sweet and got a two-run double off the bat of Matt Weglarz. The Southwest Missouri State pitching staff dug in after that, allowing just a ninth-inning single the rest of the way.
Offensively, leadoff man L.J. Mims led the way by going 2-of-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Andy Lytle was also 2-for-5.
Iowa took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly from Kris Welker, but SMS responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 2-1 lead.
Each team scored two runs in the second inning, and a bases loaded hit batsman in the bottom of the fourth gave the Bears a 5-3 advantage.
The Hawkeyes stormed back in the top of the sixth, leading off with a pair of walks before Mims ripped a two-run single to right-center to tie the game at 5-5. Iowa then loaded the bases for Welker, who was hit by a pitch to give the Hawkeyes a 6-5 lead.
Junior Tim Gudex started the game on the hill for Iowa and allowed five runs on five hits before giving way to Sweet in the third.