April 1, 2005
IOWA CITY – The University of Iowa baseball team was defeated by Michigan State, 3-1, Friday night at Banks Field. It was the Big Ten opener for both schools, and the 2005 home debut for the Hawkeyes.
The game was a classic Big Ten pitcher’s dual between Iowa’s Luke O’Loughlin and Michigan State’s Tim Day. O’Loughlin scattered 10 hits over 8 1/3 innings, striking out nine while walking just one. Day was just a notch better, picking up the win by throwing a complete game and striking out five.
The Spartans struck first, scoring a pair of two-out runs in the top of the third. After getting the first two batters to ground out, O’Loughlin hit Troy Krider with an errant change-up. Ryan Basham then got a seeing-eye single, and both scored when Erik Morris drilled a double to right.
The Hawkeyes came right back with a run of their own in the third, getting runners on second and third with just one out and bringing Dusty Napoleon home on a wild pitch. Day was able to pitch out of the jam, however, and Michigan State kept a 2-1 lead.
The Spartans got an insurance run in the top of the ninth with a sacrifice fly from Alan Cattrysse to make the score 3-1. Iowa wouldn’t go quietly, though, using three singles to load the bases with just one out. Once again, Day was able to get out of the jam, getting Napoleon to ground into a 1-2-3 double play to end the game.
Jason White was the only Hawkeye with multiple hits. The sophomore was 2-4 in his first game hitting in the leadoff spot.
Iowa (4-12) and Michigan State (9-11) will play a doubleheader tomorrow. Game one is set to start at 2 p.m.