April 12, 2005
IOWA CITY – The University of Iowa baseball team picked up its tenth win of the 2005 season with a 9-7 comeback victory over the Northern Iowa Panthers Tuesday.
The top of the order came up big for the Hawkeyes, with each of the first three hitters recording multi-hit games. Leadoff man Nate Price was 2-4 with two runs scored, Justin Petty was 3-4 with two runs scored in the No. 2 hole, while Andy Lytle was 2-4 in the three spot. Each also drove in a run.
The Hawkeyes (10-15, 5-3) trailed 5-1 before going on a late inning rampage. It started in the bottom of the fifth when Iowa took advantage of a pair of Panther errors to put three runs on the board and cut the lead to one. Petty started things off with a double, then came around to score when Lytle ripped a base hit up the middle that the centerfielder bobbled. Nate Yoho walked, then advanced along with Lytle on a Kris Welker sacrifice bunt. After a fielder’s choice got Lytle at the plate, Dusty Napoleon hit a slow roller to second and the second baseman threw the ball away, allowing two more runs to score.
Iowa tied the game in the sixth on an RBI from Petty, but UNI came back to re-take the lead in the top of the seventh on a wild pitch.
Price, Lytle and Yoho all drove in runs in the bottom of the seventh to regain the lead for the Hawkeyes. The Panters closed within one in the top of the eighth with an RBI triple, but Iowa took the run right back in the bottom of the frame when Skylar Moss ripped an RBI double to deep center.
Hawkeye ace Luke O’Loughlin came on to pitch the ninth and record the save. Kevin Sunderman was awarded the win for Iowa, upping his record to 2-1.
The Hawkeyes return to action tomorrow with a game against Northern Illinois. Gametime is set for 6 p.m. at Banks Field.