Hawkeyes Top South Dakota State

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April 3, 2012

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IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa baseball team defeated South Dakota State Tuesday night at Duane Banks Field, 6-2. The game was the first of two games in the mid-week series.

“We had a good approach offensively,” said head coach Jack Dahm. “I would have liked to see us score a little more and tack on, but I thought we had good at-bats.”

The Iowa offense, led by seniors Mike McQuillan, Chett Zeise and Phil Keppler, and junior Andrew Host, tallied 12 hits. McQuillan recorded his eighth multi-hit game of the season, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Zeise also registered his eighth multi-hit game. He finished 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Keppler went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, giving him his fourth multi-hit game. Host, who has hit safely in the last four games, notched his second multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with two RBI.

For the fifth-straight contest, Iowa (11-14, 3-3) struck first. The Hawkeyes pushed across four runs on four hits in the bottom of the first to grab an early 4-0 lead. McQuillan led off the frame with a single through the right side. After McQuillan advanced to second on a wild pitch, Jake Yacinich singled placing runners at first and third. Iowa then executed a double steal as McQuillan scored from third. It marked the first time a Hawkeye stole home since Trevor Willis accomplished the feat at Mississippi State on March 25 of last year. Yacinich later scored on a RBI single by Phil Keppler. With Keppler at second and Bryan Niedbalski at first via a free pass, Host doubled to center to score both runners and give Iowa a four-run advantage.

The Jackrabbits (6-14-1) cut into the Hawkeye lead in the top of the sixth with a two-run single.

Iowa answered in the following inning, scoring two runs in the bottom of the seventh to regain a four-run lead at 6-2. Zeise and Jake Mangler tallied RBI singles in the inning.

Andrew Hedrick started and recorded his second career victory (2-0). The freshman pitched five and two-thirds, allowing two runs on three hits. He struck out one Jackrabbit. Ryan Rumpf, Ben Bergman and Nick Hibbing saw action out of the Iowa bullpen. Hibbing pitched the final two and two-thirds to earn his first career save. He allowed no runs and zero hits.

“Hedrick did a nice job for us,” said Dahm. “Our pitchers did well. We played well defensively also. We need to continue to throw strikes and come up with some timely hits.”

Kolton Emery took the loss for South Dakota State. He pitched five innings, allowing four runs on nine hits.

The Hawkeyes and Jackrabbits conclude their two-game set Wednesday at 4:05 p.m. at Duane Banks Field. Iowa then travels to Nebraska for the first ever Big Ten match-up between the two schools. The two will play a three-game set in Lincoln, Neb., beginning Friday.