March 28, 2010
IOWA CITY, IA — The University of Iowa baseball completed a three-game sweep over Western Illinois with an 11-2 triumph Sunday afternoon at Duane Banks Field. The win extended Iowa’s winning streak to four games.
The Hawkeyes pounded out 14 hits in today’s victory. Four players recorded multi-hit games, including: Kurtis Muller, Zach McCool, Ryan Durant and Kurt Lee. Muller went 2-for-3 with three runs scored, an RBI and two stolen bases. McCool went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI.
“I thought it was an outstanding effort in all phases of the game today,” said Iowa Head Coach Jack Dahm. “We’re gaining confidence both offensively and defensively. I felt like we did what we needed to do with our approach at the plate. We executed the sacrifice bunts and drove them in once they were in scoring position.”
Iowa (8-12) starter Phil Schreiber earned his second victory of the season, going a career-long seven innings, allowing two runs with four strikeouts. Michael Jacobs had a strong outing out of the bullpen throwing the last two innings.
Iowa struck first for the third consecutive game of the series, going up 1-0 in the second inning. Durant led off with a single, advanced to second on a ground out. Mike McQuillan came up big with a two-out RBI single up the middle.
Western Illinois (5-15) knotted it, 1-1, in the top of the third. Anthony Kaskadden reached with two outs on a catchers interference, stole both second and third and scored on a Tom Lilja RBI single. The Leathernecks scored one to trail, 8-2. The inning featured a Cole Waddell triple and run scored.
The Hawkeyes regained the lead, 3-1, in the fourth frame. Durant led off with a single, followed by a Phil Keppler single. Both runners were moved over on a Tyson Blaser sacrifice bunt. Chett Zeise drove in one with a sacrifice fly and Trevor Willis drove in the other with a single to right.
Iowa broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth; plating four more runs to build a comfortable 7-1 cushion. The inning featured a Dallas Burke RBI groundout, a Sean Flanagan RBI single, a Blaser RBI double and a Western Illinois throwing error.
The Hawkeyes added another run in the sixth on a McCool RBI single up the middle, plating Muller to make the score 8-1. Iowa added more three insurance runs in the seventh to lead, 11-2. With two outs, Andrew Host doubled and scored on a Lee RBI single. Lee stole second and scored on a Muller RBI single. Muller crossed home on a McCool RBI double off the right field fence.
Today’s win clinched the first three-game sweep for the Hawkeyes since 2007. Iowa swept three teams that year; North Dakota State, Northwestern and the last, Indiana in a home series.
The Hawkeyes will return to action Tuesday in the first of a two-game series against South Dakota State at Duane Banks Field. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m.
“South Dakota State is a solid ball club,” added Dahm. “It’s going to be a great challenge for us. We need to set the tone on the mound.”