Big Sixth Inning Lifts Hawkeyes Past Minnesota

May 3, 2008

Box Score

IOWA CITY, IA – The Iowa Hawkeye baseball team scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth to propel Black and Gold to a 10-5 triumph over Minnesota in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader at Duane Banks Field.

The Hawkeyes sent 11 batters to the plate erasing a one-run deficit as Iowa plated six runs and on six hits in the bottom of the sixth.

Pacing the Black and Gold in game one was Caleb Curry, Kurtis Muller, Justin Toole and Kody McManis. Toole extended his team-leading hitting streak to 18 games, going 1-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Curry went 3-for-4 with a home run and a double, two RBI and two runs scored. Curry now has a team-best 15 multi-RBI performances and 53 RBI. Muller went 2-for-3 with one RBI and a run. McManis went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run.

Three straight singles and a sacrifice fly in the top of the first garnered Minnesota an early 2-0 advantage.

Iowa matched Minnesota’s two-spot in the bottom of the first collecting an RBI groundout by Freie and a two-out RBI double by Muller off the right field fence.

The Golden Gophers tacked-on their third run in the top of the third on two hits. Minnesota started the third with a single and a double. Two batters later, Jeff DeSmidt recorded an RBI groundout to put the Golden Gophers up 3-2.

Minnesota added one unearned run on one hit and back-to-back fielding errors by Hawkeye shortstop Toole in the top of the fifth to take a 4-2 lead. The Hawkeyes escaped the top of the fifth yielding only the one run by turning a 5-4-3 double play, their second twin killing of the game.

Iowa tied the contest at 4-4 by plating two runs on two hits in the bottom of the fifth. Toole registered a one-out RBI groundout to score Zach McCool, who started the rally with a leadoff walk. Curry followed with a solo home run over the right field fence, his team-leading sixth of the season, to even the game at 5-5. The senior has hit home runs in back-to-back games; Curry hit a three-run big fly Last night.

Minnesota re-established the lead, 5-4, with another unearned run in the sixth with a bases loaded walk off Hawkeye reliever Jason Belk. The Golden Gophers recorded one hit and two walks and were benefited by another Toole fielding error at shortstop.

The Black and Gold claimed their first lead of the game in the bottom of the sixth scoring six runs on six hits and one Minnesota error. Iowa’s first four batters collected hits in the big inning. Muller and Tyson Blaser singled to start the threat. Senior Kyle Riffel delivered his first triple of the season to right center to plate both Muller and Blaser to give Iowa a 6-5 advantage. McManis followed with an RBI double, his third two-bagger of the season, to score Riffel. After a McCool sacrifice bunt, McManis scored on a throwing error by the Golden Gopher shortstop, who attempted to gun-down Hoef at the plate. Toole then registered his second RBI of the day, and his 41st of the season, with a single through the right side.

Hawkeye starter Michael Jacobs started on the bump in game one. The sophomore threw five and two-third innings, allowing five runs, three earned, and striking out one batter. Belk pitched only one third of an inning and earned his second victory of the campaign.

Minnesota reliever Chauncey Handran pitched only one-third of an inning in the sixth, allowing four runs. Iowa freshman Zach Kenyon didn’t allow a run in the seventh frame to help preserve the victory. Defensively, the Hawkeyes turned their third double play of the game in the seventh.

Hoef was hit-by-pitch in his first at-bat in the first frame, his 17th of the season, which equals Kris Welker’s school single-season record established in 2004. Hoef has now been plunked 47 career times, an Iowa best.

The two teams will conclude today’s doubleheader at 4:15 p.m. at Duane Banks Field.

GAME SUMMARYMinnesota       201  010  0  --  5    9  1Iowa        200  026  X  --  10  11  3

WP - Belk (2-0)LP - Carr (2-6)