May 3, 2008
IOWA CITY, IA – The Iowa Hawkeye baseball team took an early one run lead in the bottom of the first and never looked back with a 6-1 win over Minnesota in the nightcap of Saturday’s doubleheader at Duane Banks Field. The Hawkeye defense turned two double plays, combined five in the doubleheader, and committed no errors in the win and starter Steve Turnbull provided solid pitching for Iowa. Today’s doubleheader sweep is the second time the Hawkeyes have taken a twinbill this season, the last was against Indiana.
Turnbull threw flawlessly allowing only one run, which is the fewest runs allowed of the season. He pitched seven complete innings, which makes him only the second Hawkeye to do so this season (Brock Alberts). He allowed one run on six hits and struck out three Golden Gophers.
“(Michael) Jacobs threw great pitches today and (Steve) Turnbull pounded the strike zone in the second game,” Head Coach Jack Dahm said. “We didn’t allow a lot of free bases today and life’s easier when we do that. Today showed that.”
T.J. Cataldo led the Hawkeyes, offensively, going a perfect 3-for-3 with a double and scoring a run. Kody McManis went 1-for-2 with a hit-by-pitch, RBI and run scored. Kevin Hoef went 1-for-2 with a walk, hit-by-pitch, two runs scored and an RBI. Six Hawkeyes recorded hits and five recorded RBI.
Iowa (19-26, 8-15) manufactured one run, despite having no hits to take an early 1-0 lead. Kevin Hoef reached first on his second hit-by-pitch of the afternoon, and stole second to record his 14th of the season. Hoef advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a Caleb Curry sacrifice fly.
The Black and Gold added two more runs in the third, to make it 3-0. T.J. Cataldo doubled to right center for the first Hawkeye hit of the game. Hoef reached first on his second free base with a walk and Justin Toole recorded his 19th consecutive game with a hit with a RBI single right down the first base line. One out later, Curry recorded his second RBI of the game with another sacrifice fly. The RBI sacrifice was Curry’s seventh on the season, which is a team high.
Iowa’s aggressive base running scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth to expand their lead to 5-0. Kurtis Muller got a leadoff single to start Iowa off. Tyson Blaser followed suite with a single to right and Kyle Riffel reached on a fielder’s choice to score Muller. Riffel stole second and scored on a run-and-hit giving McManis an RBI.
The Hawkeye’s added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth to make it 6-0. McManis started things with a one-out hit-by-pitch, followed by a Cataldo single. The hit was Cataldo’s third of the contest, which was his first three-hit game on the season. With runners on first and second Hoef delivered with an RBI single to center.
Minnesota (19-26, 8-15) attempted a seventh-inning rally, but fell short, only scoring one. Eric Decker hit in the lone run with a double.
Hoef was hit-by-pitch in his first at-bat in the first frame, his 18th of the season, which made him the single-season record holder. Hoef has now been plunked 48 career times, another Iowa best.
“When we are playing well, we turn double plays,” Dahm said. “The pace of the games was great today. Pace is a big deal, it starts on the mound and today our pitchers delivered. A faster paced game is more fun to play and more fun for the coaches and fans to watch.”
The Hawkeyes will conclude their four-game series against Minnesota tomorrow. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. at Duane Banks Field.
GAME SUMMARYMinnesota 000 000 1 -- 1 7 0Iowa 102 201 X -- 6 8 0
WP - Turnbull (3-4)
LP - Klabunde (0-2)