May 9, 2009
IOWA CITY – The Iowa baseball team dropped an extra innings thriller, 5-4, to Penn State at Duane Banks Field today. This was the first extra inning contest of the year for the Hawkeyes.
Starter Phil Schreiber got the no decision despite throwing a season-best six innings and allowing only three runs on eight hits with a career-high seven strikeouts. Hawkeye closer Mike Schurz got the loss, pitching a career-high five innings allowing two runs on six hits with four strikeouts.
“It was a tough loss but it was a good college game today too,” Head Coach Jack Dahm. “We had some opportunities that we didn’t utilize, leaving 11 on base, but I was happy to see all of our guys compete.”
The Iowa offense was led by Wes Freie going 2-for-3 with two solo homers with two walks. Ryan Durant went 3-for-5 with a stolen base. Mike McQuillan went 2-for-3 with a sacrifice fly and sacrifice bunt.
Iowa (15-32, 3-16) took an early 2-0 lead in the third frame. With one out, Trevor Willis reached base on an infield single and Muller got on with a walk. Dallas Burke beat out the throw for a bunt single to third, Willis scored on a throwing error on the play. Durant reached base on balls to load the bases. On a deep sacrifice fly by McQuillan, Muller scored.
The home team added another run in the fourth by way of a Freie solo shot to right for a 3-0 score.
Penn State (24-22, 7-13) got on the board with a two-run home run to center by Mike Deese to tighten the contest at 3-2.
The Black and Gold added an insurance run to lead 4-3 in the sixth on Freie’s second solo big fly to right field of the game.
The Nittany Lions took advantage of an Iowa error and plated one in the seventh to trail, 4-3. Penn State tied it up, 4-4, in the eighth with a Cory Wine solo homer to right to send the game into extra innings. In the top of the 11th, Wine struck again with an RBI double to win 5-4.
Iowa had a chance to tie it up in the bottom of the 11th, after a leadoff pinch hit single by T.J. Cataldo, however were unable to get the timely hit.
Penn State and Iowa play in the final game of a three-game series at Duane Banks Field tomorrow. First pitch is set for 11:30 a.m.
Game Summary
Penn State 000 002 110 01 -- 5 12 1
Iowa 002 101 000 00 -- 4 11 3
WP - Alfreno (1-0)
LP - Schurz (0-1)
SV - Ignas (5)