Iowa Loses to Rutgers, 8-6

March 15, 2008

DeLand, FL–The Iowa baseball team fell to the 4-6 Scarlet Knights in the first game of a double header Saturday afternoon at Conrad Park to make them 3-7.

In the loss Iowa scattered 14 hits. Justin Toole led the Hawkeyes and continued his hitting streak to five games, going 3-for-5 with a RBI. Caleb Curry hit well also, going a perfect 3-for-3 with a RBI.

In the start, Brock Alberts went four innings allowing five runs on five hits and sticking out five Rutgers batters. The bullpen for the Black and Gold pitched four scoreless innings and Rutgers left 17 on base.

Iowa scored in the bottom of the first, starting with a Kevin Hoef single to center. He then stole second which was followed by a Matt Mossey walk, to make runners on first and second for Toole. Toole got a infield base hit, to make the bases loaded. Curry delivered with a sac fly to score Hoef and advance Mossey and Toole. Kurtis Muller then laid down sac bunt to bring Mossey and make it a 2-0 Hawkeye ballgame.

The Scarlet Knights came back strong in the second took the lead 3-2. The inning featured a Donny Callahan one RBI double. And in the third, Rutgers scored one on two hits, making it 4-2 Scarlet Knights lead.

Iowa chipped away at Rutgers lead in the third, scoring one run on two hits. Toole started things off for Iowa with a one out infield single. Curry followed with a hit up the middle and moved Toole to second. Both runners advance on a double steal, to put runners on second and third for Muller. Muller sac flied out to centerfield to score Toole and make it a 4-3 Rutgers ballgame.

Rutgers came scored again in the fourth it featured a RBI double by Tom Edwards.

The Hawkeyes came back to tie it in the fourth. Wes Freie started it off with a single to the right side, and Willis followed suit, to make runners on first and third. On a wild pitch, Freie scored and Willis advanced to third. Hoef kept things going with a walk. A sacrifice fly to left from Mossey scored Willis and made it a 5-5 ball game.

The Scarlet Knights scored three in the top of the ninth, and the Hawkeyes had big bats in the bottom of the inning. However fell short, only scoring one running to make it 8-6.

Iowa will take on the Scarlet Knights again, in the second game of the double header Saturday night.

GAME SUMMARY

Rutgers 031 100 003 – 8 14 1 Iowa 201 200 001 – 6 14 1
WP- Lillis (2-0)
LP- Mossey (0-2)
Sv- Downey (2)

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