April 3, 2005
IOWA CITY – The University of Iowa baseball team earned an opening series split with the Michigan State Spartans Sunday by picking up a 10-7 win at Banks Field.
The Hawkeyes (6-13, 2-2) were impressive at the plate, pounding out 11 hits on the day. Senior designated hitter Kris Welker led the way for Iowa, going 3-5 with three RBIs. The Montana native was a triple short of the cycle, picking up a single, double and home run.
After falling into an early 3-0 hole, the Hawkeyes bounced back in the bottom of the third with an RBI double by Nate Yoho and a two-run homer from Welker. Yoho finished the day 2-5 with a pair of runs scored.
The teams traded runs in the fourth, and each scored two in the fifth to keep the game tied 6-6. In the bottom of the seventh, Iowa scored four two-out runs to blow the game open. After a pair of walks, the Spartans brought in closer Jeff Gerbe. Junior Nate Price ripped a single to load the bases, and Jason White drew a walk to plate the first run of the inning. Skylar Moss drew another run-scoring walk, prompting the Spartans to pull Gerbe for Chris Toepper. Toepper was welcomed to the game by a two-run single from Andy Lytle, then got Yoho to ground out and end the inning.
The Spartans (10-13, 2-2) managed to hang one run on Iowa reliever Tim Gudex in the eighth, but he escaped the inning with minimal damage and shut the door with a 1-2-3 ninth.
Junior Aaron Reasland (1-2) picked up the win for Iowa, throwing three impressive scoreless innings of relief. He didn’t allow a baserunner and struck out three. Gerbe (0-2) was saddled with the loss.
Iowa returns to action Wednesday with a game at No. 7 Nebraska. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. The game will be broadcast to a national television audience on CSTV, along with a local radio broadcast on AM 800 KXIC.