WEST LAFAYETTE, IN — The Iowa baseball team lost game one of a doubleheader against Purdue at Lambert Field, 5-3, Saturday. Purdue scored two in both the third and fourth innings and never looked back. The Hawkeye defense played solid in the loss; however Iowa’s offense struggled against lefty Matt Jansen, only scattering four hits. Iowa has a 2-8 record when a southpaw starts the game.
In the loss, Ryan Durant led the offense, going 2-for-4 with a RBI triple and a run scored. Kevin Hoef went 2-for-4 with a double and Justin Toole continued his hit-streak to 14 games.
Purdue (12-12, 2-2) plated two to break the scoreboard in the third with a 2-0 lead. The inning featured a Dan Black two-RBI double to right field. The Boilermakers added another two in the fourth frame to further their lead, 4-0. The inning featured another RBI double from Black. The Hawkeyes had runners in scoring position in both the fourth and fifth innings, but with two-outs, were unable to get the timely hit they needed.
The Hawkeyes (11-14, 2-3) manufactured two in the bottom of the sixth to cut the Boilermaker, 4-2. With two outs, Chett Zeise drew a walk and Durant brought him in with a triple. Durant later scored on a fielding error by the third baseman.
Purdue added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh to further its lead, 5-2. Iowa reliever Patrick Schatz came into the game with two outs and the bases loaded. He walked a run in before bearing down and forcing a ground out to leave three Boilermakers on base.
Iowa made a final run at the Boilermakers in the ninth, but came up short leaving the tying runs on base for a final 5-3 ballgame. With one-out Dallas Burke drew a walk. One batter later, Hoef doubled down the right field line to put runners on second and third. Kurtis Muller drove in Burke with a single to shortstop and later stole second.
GAME SUMMARYIowa 000 002 001 - 3 7 0Purdue 002 201 00x - 5 11 2
WP - Jansen (3-3)LP - Hippen (1-1)