LINCOLN, Neb. – The University of Iowa baseball team split a Sunday doubleheader to clinch a road series victory at Nebraska at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park. Iowa fell in Sunday’s opener, 12-1 in seven innings, before winning the night cap, 5-3 in 10 innings.
“It was a big win after a tough loss in game one,” said head coach Rick Heller. “It showed a lot of toughness and character. It wasn’t our best day offensively, but we found a way to get it done in game two.”
The Hawkeyes are now 26-14 overall, 10-5 in Big Ten play with three series remaining in the regular season.
Game 1 | Nebraska 12, Iowa 1 (7 innings)
The Huskers hit two home runs in the first inning and four home runs in the game to even the series with a 12-1 win in game two of the weekend series.
“We ran into a buzzsaw, they got some balls up into the wind,” said Heller. “Connor wasn’t sharp, the free bases hurt, and they all scored. That’s the key on windy days is limit your free bases.
“If they hit a home run, hopefully it’s a solo and that wasn’t the case today.”
Garrett Anglim hit a one-out solo home run in the first inning and the lead went to 4-0 courtesy of Bryce Matthews’ three-run shut with two outs. Nebraska added two in the second and six in the third to push its lead to 12-1.
Iowa’s lone run came on Sam Petersen’s solo homer to lead off the third.
Graduate student Connor Schultz was tagged with the loss, giving up nine runs (eight earned) on five hits over 2 1/3 innings. Freshman Chaz Wheatley and senior Cam Baumann surrendered one hit and fanned four over the final 3 1/3.
Iowa mustered just four hits against Husker starter Emmett Olson. The southpaw allowed one run and fanned seven in the seven-inning complete game without issuing a walk.
“We didn’t do much with Olson, he was dominant today,” said Heller. “He pitched lights out for Nebraska. It is as well as anybody has pitched us this year.”
Game 2 | Iowa 5, Nebraska 3 (10 innings)
The Hawkeyes plated two runs in the top of the 10th inning and redshirt senior Ben Beutel got the final three outs in the bottom half to lead Iowa to a 5-3 victory and series win.
Iowa put its first two base runners on in the 10th on back-to-back singles from pinch hitter Anthony Mangano and Michael Seegers. After both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch, Nebraska loaded the bases by intentionally walking Peyton Williams.
Redshirt freshman Keaton Anthony put the Hawkeyes on top with a sacrifice fly to center field and senior Izaya Fullard’s RBI single to left field pushed the lead to 5-3.
After giving up a leadoff single to Cam Chick in the bottom of the 10th, Beutel entered the game. The southpaw struck out Anglim before inducing an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play.
Iowa and Nebraska traded runs in the first. Anthony homered to right center to give the Hawkeyes a 1-0 lead, but the Huskers scored an unearned run in the bottom half.
The Hawkeyes regained the lead in the third on a two-run homer from Williams. It was his team-leading 10th of the season.
Nebraska tied the game in the bottom of the sixth after Iowa went to Dylan Nedved in relief. The right-hander allowed three singles in the inning before walking in a run with the bases loaded. The second run scored on a fielder’s choice ground out.
Nedved settled in, allowing one hit over the final three innings to notch his fifth victory of the season. The Kansas native allowed two runs on four hits over four innings, fanning three.
Sophomore Ty Langenberg gave Iowa a strong start, allowing one unearned run on three hits over five innings, fanning six.
“It was great see Ty look like himself, he logged some quality innings,” said Heller.
Iowa finished with nine hits in the game with Williams finishing 2-for-4 with two RBIS.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes host their final midweek game of the season Tuesday, hosting Illinois State at 6:05 p.m. (CT) at Duane Banks Field.
