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IOWA CITY, Iowa — Sophomore Lorenzo Elion hit for the cycle and tied a University of Iowa record with five hits, sending the Hawkeyes to a 16-1 victory over Coe College on Wednesday night at Duane Banks Field.
Elion finished 5-for-6 with two home runs, six RBIs, and four runs scored as Iowa improved to 20-10 overall. The Hawkeyes are a season-high 10 games over .500. The Chicago native is the first Iowa player to hit for the cycle since 2016 (Mason McCoy) and just the second in the last decade.
“During the last at-bat (to hit for the cycle) I wasn’t trying to do too much,” said Elion. “I was trying to find the hole, look for my pitch, and find the gap. Once I got the single I knew they guys were going to have a lot to say once I got back to the dugout, but it felt good to get it done.”
The Hawkeyes built an early lead scoring eight runs in the first inning. Senior Tyler Cropley delivered an RBI ground out to knock in Iowa’s first run, Neustrom scored on a wild pitch, and Elion’s RBI triple made the score 3-0.
Kyle Crowl, Mitchell Boe, and Neustrom all followed with RBIs and Cropley wrapped up the first inning with an RBI double to left field, giving the Hawkeyes an 8-0 lead. Elion led off the second inning with a towering home run to left field for his first blast as a Hawkeye, giving Iowa a 9-0 advantage.
After the Kohawks scored their only run in the fourth, Iowa tacked on seven runs in the fourth, fifth, and eighth innings. Elion had an RBI double to left center in the fifth and then his single in the sixth locked up the cycle. He capped his day career day with a three-run blast to left field in the eighth, which tied the school record for hits in a game.
QUOTING HEAD COACH RICK HELLER
“Lorenzo has been picking us up big. The last three weeks he has been swinging the bat well and driving in big runs. He has been big in the Illinois series and Ohio State series. Tonight his swing looked great and every ball he hit was right on the nose.”
OF NOTE…
- Elion is the first Hawkeye to hit for the cycle since Mason McCoy in 2016. The sophomore went 5-for-6, tying the school record with a career-high five hits, while posting career-highs in RBIs (6), runs (4), and home runs (2).
- Cropley tied a single-game doubles record, finishing 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs. All three of his hits were doubles.
- The Hawkeyes had season-highs in hits (17) and runs (16). Nine different players had at least one hit with Cropley, Elion, Neustrom, and freshman Matt Berst posting multi-hit games.
- Iowa utilized seven pitchers in the game with redshirt sophomore Derek Lieurance (1-0) earning his first career victory. He allowed one hit and struck out two in his two innings of work.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes (20-10) travel to Lincoln, Nebraska, for a three-game series against the Cornhuskers this weekend. Iowa will play a doubleheader Friday beginning at 2 p.m. (CT). Game three is to be determined.
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