May 20, 2006
ANN ARBOR, MI – The University of Iowa baseball team dropped a pair of close games in a Saturday doubleheader at Michigan today, falling 1-0 in eight innings and 4-1. The losses move Iowa’s record to 23-32 and 12-19 in the Big Ten, eliminating them from Big Ten Tournament contention. The win assures Michigan of a share of the Big Ten Regular Season Championship.
Like the series opener Friday, game one on Saturday was a pitcher’s dual. The two starters, Iowa’s Jeff Maitland and Michigan’s Chris Fetter, each kept their opponents off the board through the first seven innings. Maitland scattered six hits, while Fetter allowed just four.
Ben Jenzen took the mound for Michigan in extra innings, and kept the Hawkeyes off he board in the top of the eighth. Maitland allowed a leadoff single in the bottom of the inning before being replaced by Hawkeye closer Tim Gudex. A sacrifice bunt gave the Wolverines a runner in scoring position, and Gudex issued an intentional walk to set up a double play. Gudex got a strikeout for the second out, but Michigan executed a double steal to put runners on second and third. Adam Abraham then singled up the middle to give the Wolverines the win.
In game two, Hawkeye starter Austin Seward threw another great game in Big Ten play, allowing just four hits in the complete game loss. It is his third complete game in his last four conference starts.
Michigan jumped on the board early with an RBI single from Nate Recknagel in the bottom of the first. The Wolverines took advantage of a costly Hawkeye error in the second to add three more and stretch their lead to 4-0. With two outs and one on, A.J. Scheidt prolonged the inning by reaching on an error. Mike Schmidt made the Hawkeyes pay by blasting a three-run home run.
Iowa got a run in the top of the third when Nate Price got a two-out infield hit, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored when Travis Sweet ripped a single to centerfield.
Both pitchers settled in after that and kept their opposition off the board the rest of the way.
Iowa and Michigan will finish the series tomorrow at 12:05 p.m.
GAME SUMMARYGame OneIOWA 000 000 00 -- 0Michigan 000 000 01 -- 1WP - Ben Jenzen (2-0)LP -Jeff Maitland (5-4)
Game TwoIOWA 001 000 0 -- 0Michigan 130 000 0 -- 1WP - Zach Putnam (5-1)LP - Austin Seward (6-6)SV - Ben Jenzen (5)="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/pre%3E%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Cp%3E%3Ca%20href="/documents/2016/6/28/6868__m_basebl__IA54.pdf" class="imported_document_link" oldlink="http://www.fansonly.com/photos/schools/iowa/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/IA54.pdf">Complete Release in PDF Format
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