April 28, 2006
IOWA CITY – The University of Iowa baseball team dropped its series opener with the Northwestern Wildcats, 9-4, Friday at Duane Banks Field. The Hawkeyes (17-23, 6-11) took an early lead but was unable to hold off the Wildcats (15-23, 12-5).
Designated hitter Brian Burmester continued his hot-hitting ways, going 2-of-4 with a pair of doubles.
The Hawkeyes jumped onto the scoreboard early, taking a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Nate Price led off the game with a triple, then scored on a wild pitch. After a Jason White single, Burmester ripped an RBI double. A walk to Dusty Napoleon and single from Skyler Moss loaded the bases for Jeff Engel, who delivered a sacrifice fly.
Northwestern got an RBI single from Tommy Finn in the top of the second to cut the lead to 3-1. Burmester got the run back for Iowa in the bottom of the frame with his second double of the day.
The Wildcats cut the lead to 4-3 on an RBI triple from Antonio Mule and a run-scoring double from Pat McMahon. Northwestern then took a 6-4 lead with a trio of runs off just one hit in the top of the seventh. Jake Owens led off with a double, then moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly. Kevin Sunderman struggled upon replacing Luke O’Loughlin, loading the bases on two walks and a hit batsman, then brought home the go-ahead run with another hit by pitch. Geoff Dietz then game Northwestern a two-run lead with a sacrifice fly.
An error on a pickoff play cost the Hawkeyes a run in the top of the eighth. Relief pitcher Chris Zinn caught Stanley Finch napping off first, only to have White drop the relay throw at short and allow Finch to go to third. He later scored on an RBI single from McMahon.
Kevin Hoef started the ninth by banging out a double, then Moss drew a walk to put a pair of Hawkeyes on the bases. The Wildcats turned a double play to put Iowa’s back against the wall. L.J. Mims had an RBI single cut the lead to 9-5 before Ben Geelan grounded out to end the game.
Iowa stranded 13 runners on the basepaths for the game, eight of which were in scoring position. These two teams will go at it again in a doubleheader tomorrow. Game one will start at 2 p.m.
GAME SUMMARYNorthwestern 012 000 312 -- 9 13 2IOWA 310 000 001 -- 5 11 2
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