April 18, 2007
IOWA CITY – The University of Iowa Hawkeye baseball team defeated the Northern Illinois Huskies, 4-3, Wednesday night at Duane Banks Field. The Hawkeyes improve to 15-14 on the year and the Huskies fall to 20-13.
The Hawkeyes wasted no time taking the early lead, getting two runs in the bottom of the first. Jason White led off the inning getting hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a Travis Sweet double down the left field line. Sweet would come around to score on a T.J. Cataldo grounder. Iowa would add a run in the bottom of the third when Justin Brauer recorded his first collegiate hit with a double down the right field line. Brauer would come around to score on a Justin Toole grounder.
A fourth Hawkeye run crossed the plate in the home half of the fourth inning. Brauer led off the inning by taking one for the team. He then stole second and third, then scored on a Toole sacrifice fly to right field. Northern Illinois got on the board in the sixth when Jesse Seykora was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a balk, and scored on a Danny Reed single to left-center. The Huskies added two runs in the top of the eighth to draw within one.
Chase Stephens (1-0) started on the mound for his first action of the year and got the win, throwing two perfect innings with one strikeout. Kyle Heim pitched the third and fourth innings, allowing one hit, one walk and two strikeouts. David Conroy came in to throw the fifth inning, walking two and hitting two. Brock Alberts took the hill in the sixth, allowing one run on one hit and striking out one. Scott Brune pitched the seventh hitting the lead-off batter, striking out the next and forcing a double-play to get out of the inning. Mike Jacobs took the mound for the eighth but only recording two outs. Jacobs gave up two runs, two hits, walked one and hit one. Mike Schurz finished off the eighth with a strikeout, and retired all three batters he faced in the ninth with one strikeout for his seventh save of the year. Adam Holdenrid (0-2) took the loss for the Huskies, going four innings, allowing four runs, four hits, walking two and striking out three.
Leading the Hawkeye offense was Brauer who was 1-2 with two runs scored. White and Sweet each added a hit and a run. Napoleon, Cataldo and Kody McManis each had one hit on the night.
The Hawkeyes return to Big Ten action this weekend hosting the Illinois Fighting Illini. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. Friday night at Duane Banks Field.
GAME SUMMARYNorthern Illinois 000 001 020 -- 3 4 0IOWA 210 100 00X -- 4 6 0
WP: Chase Stephens (1-0)LP: Adam Holdenrid (0-2)SV: Mike Schurz (7)="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>