April 10, 2010
IOWA CITY, IA – The Iowa baseball team took game two, 6-4, from Illinois Saturday afternoon at Duane Banks Field. The Hawkeye win featured a great outing on the mound from starter Nick Brown, as well, as a solid defensive effort.
Brown earned his second win in his second start of the season. He went a season-long eight innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits with two strikeouts. Kevin Lee slammed the door in the ninth, picking up his Big Ten-leading fifth save. Illinois plated one in the ninth, and with the winning run at the plate, and tying on first, Lee forced the final out on a ground ball out off the bat of Illinois slugger Willie Argo.
“Nick was terrific out there the entire day,” said Iowa Head Coach Jack Dahm. “He made a lot of quality pitches today. Kevin found a way to close the door and preserve the win in the ninth. The crowd was outstanding today. It’s good to even the series. We need to come out tomorrow and give a good effort, like we did today. “
Four Hawkeyes notched a pair of hits in today’s win. Mike McQuillan went 2-for-3 with a two-RBI double and walk. Tyson Blaser, Zach McCool and Ryan Durant also recorded multi-hits.
Iowa (11-16, 2-3) jumped to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first frame. Kurtis Muller drew a leadoff walk, his fourth of the series, followed by a McCool single through the right side. With runners on the corners, McQuillan laced a double to right field to drive in two. McQuillan then crossed home plate on a Durant RBI single.
Illinois (13-12, 3-2) put up a three-spot in the third on one swing of the bat to tie it, 3-3. The inning featured an Argo three-run shot over the left field fence.
The Hawkeyes capitalized on consecutive wild pitches and an error in the fifth to regain the lead, 5-3. Lee reached base on a hit-by-pitch and advanced to second on a Muller single. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, Kurt Lee scored on a second wild pitch. Muller then scored on an Illinois throwing error.
Iowa added an insurance run in the eighth to further its lead, 6-3. The inning featured a Lee RBI single.
The Hawkeyes will play Illinois in the finale of a three-game series tomorrow afternoon at Duane Banks Field. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m.