April 21, 2010
IOWA CITY, IA – The Iowa baseball team fell to Northern Illinois, 13-2, Wednesday night at Duane Banks Field.
Northern Illinois (14-22) took a 2-0 lead in the first and never looked back. Despite Zach Robertson picking up two strikeouts, the Huskies collected two hits, including a Troy White RBI single. The visitors added one in the fourth and broke open the game with 10 runs on nine hits in the sixth inning.
The Hawkeyes (14-20) plated one run in the first and eighth innings. Kurtis Muller legged out a triple to lead Iowa off and scored on a Zach McCool RBI groundout for the Hawkeyes’ first tally. In the eighth, Kurt Lee picked up a one-out double, advanced to third on a Mike Corbeil single and scored by way a Trevor Willis RBI double.
Northern Illinois starter Jake Hermsen silenced the Hawkeye hitters after allowing the leadoff triple to Muller. The triple was the only hit the southpaw allowed in seven innings, while striking out 10 Hawkeyes.
Robertson got the start and due to pitch count limit went only two innings allowing two runs, one earned, on two hits with four strikeouts. The Hawkeye bullpen featured: Ricky Sandquist, Michael Jacobs, Kevin Gates and Jeff Pacha. Pacha finished the game for Iowa going a career-long three and one-third innings. The junior allowed no runs on two hits and struck out a career-high five.
Iowa returns to action this weekend with a three-game series at Michigan. First pitch Friday is set for 5:35 p.m. (CDT).