Hawkeyes Fall at Nebraska

Stats

April 26, 2011

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LINCOLN, Neb. — The Iowa baseball team lost at Nebraska Tuesday night, 7-3, at Hawks Field. The Huskers scored the first four runs of the game and held off the Hawkeyes in the late innings to claim the victory.

Iowa’s offense recorded nine hits against the future Big Ten conference opponent. Three Hawkeyes collected multi-hit games. Senior Tyson Blaser went 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI. Freshman Bryan Niedbalski went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI and senior Zach McCool finished 2-for-4.

Nebraska (26-16) grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. The Huskers took advantage of two hits and a Hawkeye error to grab the early advantage.

The home team added to its lead in the bottom of the fourth. The Huskers pushed across two runs, extending their lead to 4-0. Nebraska’s first two hitters reached on a single and hit-by-pitch. A sacrifice bunt allowed the two to advance to second and third base, before a single to left scored both runners.

Iowa (15-23) cut the Husker lead to 4-1 in the top of the sixth. With one down and Mike McQuillan on second, Blaser roped his team-leading 12th double of the season down the left field line, scoring McQuillan. The Hawkeyes loaded the bases later in the frame, but were unable to add to their total.

The Iowa offense continued to cut away at the Nebraska lead in the following inning. In the top of the seventh, RBI singles by Blaser and Niedbalski trimmed the Husker lead to 4-3.

Nebraska used a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh to regain a three run advantage at 6-3. The Huskers pushed across a single tally in the eighth, making the final score 7-3.

Jeff Pacha started for the Hawkeyes, throwing two and a third innings. The senior allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits. He struck out three. Phil Keppler, Ricky Sandquist and Tim Fangman saw action out of the Iowa bullpen.

Nebraska’s Tyler Niederklein took the win. Niederklein earned the win, despite only pitching two innings, because he was on a predetermined pitch count. Casey Hauptman pitched two and a third innings to earn the save.

Iowa returns to Big Ten action this weekend when it travels to Minneapolis, Minn., to play Minnesota in a three-game series at Target Field, the home of the Minnesota Twins. The Hawkeyes and Gophers will play Friday-Sunday.