April 5, 2008
IOWA CITY — The Iowa baseball team got its first Big Ten win Saturday afternoon with a 7-6 triumph over Purdue in the first game of a doubleheader. In the Iowa win, six different Hawkeyes recorded at least one hit and one run in the game. This marked Iowa’s second one-run win of the season (5-4, Stetson).
Kurtis Muller exploded offensively in the Iowa win, going 2-for-3 with a three RBI home run. The three-run shot was Muller’s first collegiate and first of the season. Kyle Riffel also played well for the Black and Gold. Riffel scored twice in win, going 1-for-3 with a stolen base.
The Hawkeyes manufactured a run in the first to take an early 1-0 lead. Riffle reached first on a fielders choice. One batter later and with two-outs, Riffel stole second. He advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher Eric Nielson and scored on an error by center fielder, Jon Moore. Purdue got on the board in the third, to make it 2-1. The Boilermakers had three hits in the inning, and took advantage of a Brock Alberts wild pitch to score.
Iowa strung some hits together in the third to answer and take a 6-2 lead. The Hawkeyes sent nine to the batters box in the inning and had five hits. Riffel started the Iowa rally with double to center, followed by a Justin Toole bloop hit to shallow right center. With runners on first and third Caleb Curry delivered with an RBI single to center. Curry stole his 18th base of the season to put two Hawkeyes on base for Muller. Muller delivered with his first career home run to left center to end Iowa’s 20-game home run drought and to score three. T.J. Cataldo got a one-out single to right to keep things going for Iowa and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Justin Brauer took advantage of the baserunner and hit an RBI single to center, making it 6-2.
The Black and Gold kept at it in the fourth. The inning featured the second Hawkeye home run of the afternoon, Kevin Hoef hit a solo shot to left. It was Hoef’s first career homer and it made it a 7-2 Hawkeye ballgame.
Purdue mounted a comeback in the sixth, scoring four runs. The inning featured three Boilermaker doubles, one being a two-RBI double to left by Moore.
Alberts recorded his third victory of the season, throwing five innings and allowing five earned runs. Andrew Porter pitched the final two innings striking out two and notching his first save of the season. Iowa will take on the Boilermakers in the second game of the double header at Duane Banks Field in Iowa City, IA.
GAME SUMMARYPurdue 002 004 0 --- 6 8 2Iowa 105 100 x --- 7 8 1
WP - Alberts (3-2)
LP - Sestak (1-1)
SV - Porter (1)