Dermody's Complete Game Lifts Iowa

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March 23, 2013

Box Score

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CAROL STREAM, Ill. — Senior Matt Dermody allowed one unearned run in a complete game victory, leading the University of Iowa baseball team to a 2-1 win over Northwestern in the opening game of a Saturday doubleheader at Lee Pfund Stadium.

“He kept making pitch afer pitch,” said UI head coach Jack Dahm. “He did not let anything distract him. It was a great pitcher’s duel. There were a lot of stressful pitches out there because it was a one-run or tie game the entire time.

“I was really proud of him. That’s the way he has been throwing for us all year long.”

The southpaw scattered five hits over the first eight innings and allowed seven over nine frames. He had five strikeouts to one walk en route to his career-best and Big Ten-leading fifth win. Dermody is now 5-0 with a 1.91 ERA in six starts this season.

The Hawkeyes (9-9, 1-1) gave Dermody an early lead, pushing the game’s first run across the plate before he even took the hill. Sophomore Eric Toole singled up the middle to start the game before stealing second base — his eighth steal in nine attempts — to move into scoring position. With one out, sophomore Taylor Kaufman’s RBI single to first base gave Iowa the 1-0 lead.

The Wildcats tied the game in their third at-bat, courtesy of two hits and a Hawkeye error. With one out Walker Moses singled to right field and Kyle Ruchim followed with a two-out single to right center to put runner’s at the corners. Zach Morton then reached on a throwing error by UI third baseman Nick Day, which allowed Moses to cross the plate.

Dermody and NU starter Luke Farrell threw up goose eggs during the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings. Farrell left the game after seven innings, surrendering one run on just three Hawkeye hits with nine strikeouts.

Iowa got things going in the top of the eighth against Wildcat reliever Ethan Bramschreiber. Pinch hitter Keith Brand singled through the left side to start things off before moving into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Anthony Torres.

“We were finally able to scratch across a run in the eighth,” said Dahm. “It was Keith Brand, and it seems like he is always in the middle of things. Goody (Goodman) really legged out an infield single, and allowed Keith to score.”

With two outs, NU intentionally walked Toole to get to sophomore Kris Goodman. The move backfired, as Goodman’s RBI single gave Iowa the 2-1 lead. Kaufman followed with a walk to load the bases, but junior Taylor Zeutenhorst left them stranded when reliever Reed Mason struck him out to end the Hawkeye threat.

Dermody pitched around a two-out rally in Northwestern’s final at-bat. The Wildcats had back-to-back singles before Dermody got Colby Everett to fly out to centerfield to end the game.

Kaufman paced Iowa at the plate, going 2-for-3 with an RBI to notch his sixth multi-hit game this season. Four other Hawkeyes tallied a hit, and Goodman had the team’s second RBI.