April 23, 2010
ANN ARBOR, MI – On the shoulders of another strong pitching performance by pitching ace Jarred Hippen, the University of Iowa baseball team beat Michigan, 5-2, in game one of Friday’s doubleheader at Ray Fisher Stadium. Iowa’s victory snapped an eight-game losing skid at Michigan. The Hawkeyes’ last win in Ann Arbor came on April 10, 2005.
Hippen was dominate on the bump again, throwing his second career complete game and second in four appearances. The native of Rock Falls, IL, allowed only two runs, one earned, scattered six hits and struck out five en route to his third win of the season.
Five different Hawkeyes scored and collected an RBI en route to victory. Zach McCool and Kurtis Muller led the Hawkeyes. McCool went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Muller was 2-for-3, with a walk, an RBI and run scored. The three hits for McCool mark the second time this year the junior collected three hits or more in a contest.
For the 11th time in 12 games, the Hawkeyes scored in the first inning. Iowa plated runs in its first at-bat via a bases loaded fielder’s choice and hit-by-pitch. Phil Keppler was credited with the game’s first RBI on a fielder’s choice, while Tyson Blaser earned the second on a hit-by-pitch.
Michigan (24-13, 6-4) also scored in the first frame, cutting the deficit to 2-1 on a sacrifice fly. Hippen was able to escape more damage in the first by inducing an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.
Iowa (15-20, 4-6) tacked on additional runs in the second and third innings. McCool registered an RBI single to center field in the second. The hit scored Kurt Lee, who singled up the middle to start the inning. In the third inning, Keppler led off with a double. Two batters later, he crossed home plate on a Mike Corbeil sacrifice fly to left field to push the visitor’s advantage to 4-1.
The Wolverines cut the lead in half again in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs and runners on second and third, Hippen got Patrick Biondi to hit a ground ball back to him, but the sophomore misplayed the ball allowing an unearned run to cross home and make the score 4-2.
The Hawkeyes plated their fifth tally on a two-out RBI double to right center by Muller in the top of the sixth. The double scored Corbeil, who had a leadoff walk.
Leading 5-2, that was all the run support Hippen needed. The southpaw yielded only two hits the last four innings, including sitting down the last six batters in order.
Michigan starter Alan Oaks got the loss, throwing five innings, allowing five earned runs and three walks.
The Hawkeyes and Wolverines will play the nightcap of today’s doubleheader at 4:45 p.m. (CDT).