EAST LANSING, Mich. – The University of Iowa baseball team scored four runs early and that was more than enough for redshirt sophomore Adam Mazur in a 5-0 shutout victory at Michigan State on Friday night at McLane Baseball Stadium at Kobs Field.
Mazur was Mazur once again, leading the Hawkeyes to their 29th victory and eighth straight series-opening win. Iowa is 29-16 overall, 13-6 in Big Ten play.
The righthander scattered four hits over seven shutout innings to notch his seventh victory of the season. Mazur retired the first seven Spartans he faced and the Hawkeyes had back-to-back inning-ending double plays in the third and fourth innings.
The Minnesota native struck out seven against two walks in the game, moving him to 7-2 overall. In Big Ten play, Mazur is 5-1 with a 1.17 ERA, allowing nine runs (seven earned) on 29 hits over 53 2/3 innings. He has 51 strikeouts to 10 walks.
The Hawkeyes spotted Mazur a 1-0 lead before he even took the mound by manufacturing a run in the first. Sophomore Michael Seegers walked to leadoff the game and moved to third on Peyton Williams’ double to left field. With one out, redshirt senior Izaya Fullard’s sacrifice fly gave Iowa the lead.
Iowa put the first two base runners on in the second on back-to-back singles from Ben Wilmes and Cade Moss. With one out, redshirt sophomore Kyle Huckstorf found the gap in right center, knocking in two runs to push the lead to 3-0.
Huckstorf provided the Hawkeyes their fourth run in the fourth when he led off the inning with a solo home run to left field. It was the Wisconsin native’s first career home run.
Iowa tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning. After Brendan Sher singled and pinch-runner Sam Petersen stole second, Moss singled in the fifth run for his career-high third hit of the game.
Iowa finished with 12 hits in the contest with Sher (3-for-5), Moss (3-for-3) and Huckstorf (2-for-4) tallying multi-hit games.
QUOTING COACH HELLER
“It was good to see the offense get off to a good start, put some runs up and threaten most of the first 5-6 innings. We weren’t getting the two out hits to break it open, but the way Adam pitched was fantastic.
“He took the lead and went out and pounded the strike zone. He did a great job. I tried to get him out a little earlier with the short turnaround next week and was able to do that. Then Ben Beutel came in and was really good to close it down.
“Cade continued to swing a hot bat, he had a great night and Kyle had three RBIs and a home run. It was a great way to start the series.”
OF NOTE…
– The shutout was Iowa’s fourth of the season – the most in a single season since 2016.
– Iowa’s 13 Big Ten wins are the most in a “normal” season since 2018 when the team finished 13-9. The Hawkeyes won 15 games in 2017 and 19 in 2015 under Heller.
– In his last five starts since moving back to Friday spot, Mazur is 5-0 with a 0.89 ERA, allowing just six runs (four earned) and fanning 38 over 40 2/3 innings.
– Moss’ multi-hit game was his second in as many games. The Johnston, Iowa, native had one hit on the season prior to the Purdue series.
– Huckstorf became the 12th different Hawkeye to hit a home run this season.
– Williams extended his reached base streak to 25 games.
– Keaton Anthony hit his 19th double of the season, moving him into a tie for fourth place in a single season in program history. Williams’ 17 doubles are tied for 12th.
UP NEXT
Game two of the series will begin at 3:05 p.m. (CT) in East Lansing.