April 9, 2016
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By JAMES ALLAN
hawkeyesports.com
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Illinois hit three home runs — two two-run shots and a grand slam — to defeat the University of Iowa baseball team, 10-4, in game two of a Saturday doubleheader at Duane Banks Field. The series is tied 1-1 heading into Sunday’s finale.
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“(Game two) was disappointing,” said UI head coach Rick Heller. “They scored eight runs with two outs, seven via the home run. That’s the difference in the game.
“Other than that, we battled against a guy whose opponents’ batting average is as low as you’ll see. We put guys on base consistently throughout the game and never quit. It was just a bad day for Tyler. Credit Illinois, they put some good swings on his slider and were able to clutch up and get two-out hits.”
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After falling 4-3 on a walk-off Hawkeye victory in game one, the Fighting Illini jumped on UI starter Tyler Peyton in their opening at-bat. Jason Goldstein connected on a two-run home run in the first inning and Trent Hammond followed with a two-run blast in the second. Jack Hurwitz added an RBI double in the inning to push Illinois’ lead to 5-0.
Iowa began chipping away in the bottom of the second. Peyton led off the inning with a double to left center field and Daniel Aaron Moriel got the Hawkeyes on the board with an RBI single up the middle. Iowa scored its second run in the second when Booker singled and eventually scored on a wild pitch, cutting the deficit to 5-2.
Illinois blew the game open in the fifth with its third home run of the contest. The Illini got back-to-back singles to lead off the inning before loading the bases with two outs. Doran Turchin pushed the lead to 9-2 with a first-pitch grand slam to left field, making the score 9-2.
The Hawkeyes scored two runs in the sixth — the first coming on a Moriel solo home run off the scoreboard in left field — and a John Barrett delivered an RBI single to right field. Illinois scored its 10th run in the top of the seventh on a Jack Yalowitz RBI single.
Peyton (1-4) suffered the loss, allowing nine runs (eight earned) over five innings. Doug Hayes (4-2) earned the victory, allowing four runs on 11 hits over 5 2/3 innings.
Five Hawkeyes posted multi-hit games, sophomore Grant Klenovich had a career-high three hits, finishing 3-for-3 with one run. Booker (2-for-5, RBI), Roscetti (2-for-5), Moriel (2-for-4, 2 RBIs), and Barrett (2-for-4) all had two-hit contests.
Iowa had 12 hits, but left 12 runners on base in the contest.
“(Klenovich and Barrett’s) production was outstanding,” said Heller. “They gave us a chance to come back and that’s what is disappointing about Tyler’s outing. If it was a normal Tyler Peyton outing, you feel like you have a good chance to win that game with the production in our lineup.”
Sunday’s series finale will begin at 1:05 p.m. (CT).
