Hawkeyes Rally to Beat Jacksonville State

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March 15, 2012

Box Score

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WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The University of Iowa baseball team plated four runs in the bottom of the eighth to record a 6-3 come-from-behind victory over Jacksonville State Thursday. The game was played at Chain O Lakes Field and is part of the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.

The Hawkeyes, who have won three of their last four games, pounded out 12 hits and had three stolen bases. Freshman Jake Yacinich went 3-for-3 with an RBI to lead the Hawkeye offense. Redshirt freshman Jake Mangler went 2-for-3 with an RBI and scored a run, while freshman Eric Toole went 2-for-3.

“I was very impressed with how our guys battled for nine innings,” said head coach Jack Dahm. “Jarred Hippen was fantastic on the mound. When they took the lead, our guys showed a lot of composure to come back and score four runs. We’re starting to mature as a team but need to develop a little more consistency.”

Iowa (6-9) scored the game’s first tally on a Mangler sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first inning. The Hawkeyes struck again with a single run in the fifth. Yacinich single to right center allowing Mike McQuillan to score.

Hippen, who was throwing on four days rest, pitched well, keeping the Gamecocks off the scoreboard until the eighth frame. Jacksonville State started the eighth inning with three straight singles. Two batters later, Hippen was replaced by classmate Nick Brown. Brown yielded a bases-loaded walk and then two more Gamecocks scored on a fielder’s choice and an error.

Jacksonville State (2-12) took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the eighth. The Hawkeyes rallied to reclaim the lead, scoring four runs on three hits and two walks. Sophomore Taylor Zeutenhorst had a one-out, bases-loaded walk to tie the contest at 3-3. Iowa scored its fourth run on a fielding error by the Gamecocks’ first baseman. Senior Kasey Carling factored in Iowa’s fourth run on an RBI fielder’s choice, while sophomore Bryan Niedbalski singled to left scoring Zeutenhorst.

Hippen, who threw seven and a third innings, got a no-decision after allowing three runs (two earned). Brown pitched the final inning and two thirds to earn his first victory of the season.

Jacksonville State reliever Todd Hornsby took the loss, allowing three runs on two hits and a walk in one third of an inning pitched.

Iowa concludes its stretch of playing seven games in seven days tomorrow when it plays Army at 9 a.m. (CT).

“They’re a scrappy bunch and play extremely hard,” said Dahm of Army. “We want to come back home with a winning record on this trip. We let a couple games get away from us early but we’re starting to play better baseball. We want to end on a positive tomorrow with another victory.”