May 1, 2010
IOWA CITY, IA — Iowa baseball team slugged its way to an 11-4 victory over Minnesota at Duane Banks Field Saturday afternoon. The first game of a doubleheader featured a strong defensive outing by the Hawkeyes and yet another gem from ace Jarred Hippen. Hippen threw his third complete game of the season and earned his fourth win, a team-best.
Coming off a complete game in Ann Arbor last weekend, Hippen tossed yet another nine inning game for Iowa. The lefty allowed only four runs, three earned, on 10 hits with seven strikeouts and issued no walks.
Five Hawkeyes collected a pair of hits, two went yard and four sacrificed. Zach McCool went 2-for-4 with three runs scored and a three-run homer. Trevor Willis had a two-run bomb and sacrifice fly. Tyson Blaser, Mike Corbeil, Phil Keppler and Kurt Lee all collected two hits.
The Golden Gophers got on the board in the first, 1-0, taking advantage of a Hawkeye error. Michael Kvasnicka picked up an RBI single. Minnesota (17-25, 6-7) took back a 3-2 lead in the fourth frame with a two-run Nick O’Shea homer to left center. The Golden Gophers added one in the ninth to lose 11-4. The lone run came via an O’Shea solo shot to left. The sophomore went 2-for-4 with two homers.
Iowa (18-22, 6-7) took a 2-1 lead in the second, scoring two. Keppler led off the inning with a single and advanced to third on a Blaser base hit off the right field fence. With runners on the corners, Corbeil picked up an RBI single. Both runners advanced on a Willis sacrifice bunt. Lee laid down a squeeze bunt, Blaser scored on a Seth Rosin fielding error.
McCool hit a three-run two-out bomb to right center in the bottom of the fourth to put the Hawkeyes back on top, 5-3. Willis followed suite in the bottom of the fifth, with a two-run shot to right center. Iowa also took advantage of a passed ball to further its lead, 8-3.
The Hawkeyes posted a two spot in the sixth to lead, 10-3. The inning featured two walks, both scored, and a Keppler sacrifice fly. Iowa capitalized on a Minnesota error and added one in the eighth for an 11-3 score.
Iowa will take on Minnesota in the nightcap of a doubleheader at Duane Banks Field today. First pitch is slated for 3:05 p.m.