Minnesota Rallies to Beat Hawkeyes, 4-3

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April 28, 2012

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MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota scored a game-tying run in the bottom of the eighth and won the game on a bases-loaded walk in the ninth to rally and beat the Iowa baseball team 4-3 Saturday afternoon at the Metrodome. The setback was Iowa’s second straight one-run defeat; the Gophers beat the Hawkeyes 5-4 on Friday.

Iowa led by one run in the eighth, but a wild pitch by Hawkeye reliever Nick Brown allowed Kurt Schlangen to score from third base and tie the contest, 3-3. Matt Halloran, who won the game yesterday with a two-run homer, won today’s contest in the ninth on bases-loaded walk.

Minnesota (26-19, 9-5), who is in second place in the Big Ten standings, took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Hawkeye starter Matt Dermody attempted to pickoff Minnesota’s Dan Olinger at third base, but a poor throw allowed Olinger to come home for the game’s first tally.

Iowa (16-22, 5-9) tied the contest in the top of the third on a Phil Keppler bases loaded hit-by-pitch allowing Mike McQuillan to cross home plate. McQuillan singled up the middle earlier in the frame for his 226th career hit, which equals Brad Carlson (1999-02) for third on Iowa’s all-time hits list.

After scoreless fourth and fifth innings, the Hawkeyes took the first lead of the contest in the sixth inning. With Eric Toole on first base, senior Chett Zeise smoked a first-pitch fastball over the left field fence to give Iowa a 3-1 advantage. The big fly was Zeise’s third of the season and seventh of his career. The homer was the first by a Hawkeye in 11 games; Keppler hit one at Nebraska on April 7.

The Gophers chipped away at Iowa’s lead with an unearned fielder’s choice RBI in the bottom of the sixth to make the score, 3-2.

Both starters pitched solid games, but received no-decisions. Dermody completed seven and a third innings yielding three runs on five hits, while striking out six. Minnesota pitcher DJ Snelton threw seven and two third innings, allowing three runs on four hits. Minnesota’s Billy Soule earned his third win of the year, while Brown got the loss for the Hawkeyes.

The Hawkeyes and Gophers conclude their weekend series tomorrow afternoon. First pitch is slated for 3:05 p.m. inside the Metrodome. The game will be televised live on BTN.