Feb. 21, 2016
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By JAMES ALLAN
hawkeyesports.com
DALLAS — No. 31 Dallas Baptist broke a one-all tie with a three-run eighth inning to defeat the University of Iowa baseball team, 4-1, in the series finale Sunday afternoon at Horner Ballpark.
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The Patriots (3-0) loaded the bases with one-out in the eighth inning. With Iowa’s corner infielders in, DBU catcher Matt Duce found a hole for a two-run single to right field to break the tie and Camden Duzenack tacked on an insurance run with a sacrifice fly to center field to push the lead to 4-1.
“It was a seeing, eye single, we got the ground ball we wanted,” said UI head coach Rick Heller. “It went between the first and second baseman. Ten feet to the left and it would have been a double play ball and we would have been out of the inning.”
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Iowa went in order in the ninth inning against Patriot closer Seth Elledge, who recorded his second save of the weekend. Eric White (1-0) earned the win, throwing a 1/3 of an inning in relief. Five DBU pitchers limited the Hawkeyes to one unearned run on four hits and struck out nine.
“Offensively, we struggled,” said Heller. “We had opportunities; we just couldn’t make it happen. We couldn’t get leadoff guy on or get the two-out hits.”
Freshman Cole McDonald (0-1) suffered the defeat, allowing one run without allowing a hit in one inning of relief. Starter Calvin Mathews gave up one run on four hits over four innings. Senior Tyler Radtke pitched two shutout innings, allowing two hits.
After leaving two runners stranded in the sixth inning, the Hawkeyes broke through in the seventh to tie the game at one. Austin Guzzo and Corbin Woods started the frame with back-to-back walks and both runners moved up a base on a Dallas Baptist passed ball.
Iowa tried a safety squeeze with junior Mason McCoy at the plate, but pinch runner Mitchell Boe was tagged out on the play. McCoy moved to second during the pickle before senior Nick Roscetti’s RBI groundout tied the game at one.
“The way things were going, I wanted to get a run on the board and hopefully get Mason going with something positive,” said Heller. “Roscetti stepped up and got the single. If I had to do it over again, I probably wouldn’t, but that’s what happens when you’re not scoring a lot of runs. You have to try to make something happen.”
The Hawkeyes left two runners stranded when pitcher Landon Wilson snared a liner off the bat of senior Tyler Peyton. Iowa left 10 runners on base in the game.
“Tyler scorched the line drive and I think it stuck to the pitcher, I don’t think he caught it,” said Heller. “It was an amazing play by their pitcher. It would have been a couple of runs for us.”
Dallas Baptist struck first in the game, pushing the game’s first run across in its second at-bat. With two outs, Luke Stratman ripped a ball of the batter’s eye in in dead centerfield, and it caromed off the wall. Senior Joel Booker bobbled the ball on the play, allowing Stratman to round the bases and give the Patriots a 1-0 lead.
Peyton collected two of Iowa’s four hits in the contest.
Iowa returns to action Feb. 26, facing Indiana State at the Snowbird Baseball Classic in Port Charlotte, Florida.
“Other than the losses, it was a good weekend for us to learn about our team and find out what we need to do to get better,” said Heller. “We were in pressure situations against a good team. If you survive it, that can help you down the road. I know this is going to help us as we grow.”
