IOWA CITY, Iowa — Loras College scored three runs over the first three innings before holding off a late rally to down the University of Iowa baseball team, 3-1, in its home opener Tuesday night at Duane Banks Field.
“We weren’t very good and Loras played well tonight,” said Iowa head coach Rick Heller. “We’re not taking anything away from their effort. (Davis) Pasco did a great job of sinking the ball down in the bottom of the zone and we just beat it into the ground all night.
“For most of the game, they forced us to earn it and we didn’t hit. It was as simple as that.”
The Hawkeyes trailed 3-0 through 7 1/2 innings before getting a rally going in the eighth. Iowa had two runners on and were primed to put themselves in a position for a big inning, but a base-running blunder cost them.
“The base-running error when it looked like we were going to have a chance to get things going in the eighth was devastating,” said Heller.
After running into the second out, Iowa loaded the bases, but DuHawk reliever Ethan Peters escaped the jam, striking out Kyle Huckstorf swinging to end the inning.
The Hawkeyes threatened again in the ninth when Andy Nelson reached on a bunt single to start the inning, moved to second on a wild pitch and third on a ground out. Redshirt sophomore Peyton Williams got the Hawkeyes on the board with an infield RBI single, but Peters closed the game with two strikeouts to clinch the Loras win.
Loras plated one run in the first inning on two soft-hit singles and the DuHawks plated two more with a three-hit third. One of the two runs came on an Iowa throwing error.
Iowa’s relievers allowed two hits from the third inning on, but the offense couldn’t get any traction. The Hawkeye pitching staff allowed two earned runs on seven hits and fanned 12.
Redshirt freshman Keaton Anthony had two of Iowa’s nine hits, finishing 2-for-4 with two singles and he also reached via a hit-by-pitch.
OF NOTE…
– Iowa out-hit Loras College, 9-7. The Hawkeyes are 4-2 this season when out-hitting their opponent.
– The Hawkeyes have had 10 or more strikeouts in all seven games this season.
– Pitchers Jared Simpson and Luke Llewellyn made their Iowa debuts.
– The Hawkeyes were held without an extra base hit for the first time this season.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes return to action Wednesday, hosting Cornell College at 4:05 p.m. (CT). Admission to the game is free of charge.
