Kuebel, Hawkeyes Shut Down South Dakota State

April 14, 2012

Box Score

OMAHA, Neb. — The University of Iowa baseball team defeated South Dakota State on Saturday on a neutral field at TD Ameritrade Park, 6-1.

Iowa (15-16, 4-5) has won five of its last seven contests overall and its last four nonconference games. The game was the first of a scheduled doubleheader. The second game of the doubleheader at Creighton was cancelled due to inclement weather.

The Hawkeyes were led on the mound by Sasha Kuebel. The freshman tossed eight solid innings equaling a career high, allowing one run on two hits. He struck out five Jackrabbits en route to his third victory of the season (3-0). Fellow starter Matt Dermody saw action out of the Iowa bullpen. The junior pitched the ninth in relief, allowing zero hits and no runs, while striking out one.

The Iowa offense, led by senior Phil Keppler and freshmen Eric Toole, out-hit South Dakota State, 7-2. Keppler, the reigning Big Ten Player of the Week, notched his eighth multi-hit game of the year, going 2-for-4. Toole recorded his fourth career multi-hit contest, finishing 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Sophomore Bryan Niedbalski scored two runs and junior Dan Sheppard registered two RBI. Freshmen Jake Yacinich and Jake Mangler both tallied an RBI.

After two scoreless innings to open the game, Iowa struck first with two runs in the top of the third. Toole opened the frame with a bunt single. Andrew Host walked to put runners at first and second and both runners then advanced on a passed ball. Yacinich used an RBI groundout to give the Hawkeyes the lead. Mangler followed with a bunt single to score Host and push the Iowa advantage to 2-0.

The Hawkeyes used a single tally in the top of the fourth to make the score 3-0. The Jackrabbits (11-18-1) responded with a run of their own to cut the lead to 3-1.

Iowa broke the game open in the top of the eighth with three runs on three hits, including a two-out, two-RBI double to right center by Sheppard, to make the final score 6-1.

Layne Somsen took the loss for South Dakota State. He pitched six innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits.

The Hawkeyes swept all three contests against South Dakota State this season. Iowa defeated the Jackrabbits on April 3 (6-2) and April 4 (11-4) at Duane Banks Field.

The Black and Gold return to Iowa City next week for a four-game home set. The Hawkeyes return to action Wednesday when they host Bradley at Duane Banks Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. Iowa then returns to Big Ten action when it hosts Penn State for a three-game set at Duane Banks Field, April 20-22. The Hawkeyes and Nittany Lions will open the series at 6:05 p.m. on Friday, April 20.