Penn State Edges Hawkeyes, 3-2

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May 7, 2011

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IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa baseball team left 13 runners on base in a 3-2 loss to Penn State Saturday afternoon at Duane Banks Field. The loss is Iowa’s fifth straight one-run loss and fall to 1-6 in one-run games in conference play.

“We left a number of guys on base again,” said head coach Jack Dahm. “(Matt) Dermody didn’t have his best stuff but he battled and kept us in the game. (Zach) Kenyon and (Tim) Fangman did a good job out of the pen. From an offensive standpoint, we did not have the best effort.”

Penn State (26-17, 8-9) struck first with a single tally in the second with back-to-back hits. Blake Lynd drove home Luis Montesinos, who doubled to lead off the frame.

Iowa (17-27, 6-11) answered in the bottom of the second with a run of its own. Freshman Kyle Haen recorded his fifth RBI of the year with a bases loaded groundout for the Hawkeyes’ first run of the game.

The visitors, who snapped a four-game losing skid with today’s win, reclaimed the lead in the fourth. With one on base and two outs, Sean Deegan hit his league-leading seventh home run of the season with an opposite field blast to put the Nittany Lions in front 3-1.

The Hawkeyes pulled within one with a two-out rally in the seventh. Zach McCool started the rally with a walk. Tyson Blaser then smashed one up the middle for his second base hit of the day. The redshirt senior has now hit safely in nine-consecutive games. With runners on first and second, Taylor Zeutenhorst found the hole between first and second to drive home McCool and make the score 3-2.

Matt Dermody got the loss, allowing three runs on eight hits while striking out eight in six innings. Zach Kenyon and Tim Fangman combined in relief to pitch three scoreless innings.

Penn State’s John Walter earned his sixth victory of the year, throwing six and two thirds. He allowed two runs, walked seven and struck out seven. Heath Johnson pitched the final two and a third innings to secure the victory and his second save for Penn State. After surrendering a lead-off walk in the ninth, Johnson struck out three straight Hawkeyes to close the game.

Mike McQuillan had a base hit to right field in the third inning, which extended his conference hitting streak to 15 games.

The rubber game of the three-game set between Iowa and Penn State is scheduled for noon tomorrow at Duane Banks Field. Admission is $3 for adults, and free for UI students and youths.