IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa baseball team brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the ninth inning, but couldn’t complete the comeback in an 11-8 loss at Michigan State on Sunday afternoon at McLane Baseball Stadium at Kobs Field.
The loss drops Iowa’s record to 30-17 overall and 14-7 in Big Ten play heading into the final week of the regular season. Despite the loss, the Hawkeyes took two of three games in the weekend series.
After Iowa took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Sam Hojnar’s RBI single to left center, the Spartans’ bats broke out in the second inning to knock Iowa starter Ty Langenberg from the contest.
Michigan State had eight hits in the frame (they had 10 hits in the game) against three Hawkeye pitchers, plating nine runs to take a 9-1 lead. The Spartans sent 13 batters to the plate in the inning.
The Spartans tacked on their 10th run in the sixth inning before the Hawkeyes began their comeback bid in the seventh.
Redshirt sophomore Peyton Williams hit a two-run homer for his second blast in as many days to make the score 10-3. Iowa then loaded the bases to start the eighth on a Sam Petersen double, Michael Seegers single and Kyle Huckstorf hit by pitch before Ben Wilmes’ RBI ground out made it 10-4.
After Williams walked to load the bases again, Keaton Anthony emptied the bases with a grand slam to right center for his 11th homer of the season, cutting the deficit to 10-8.
Michigan State got one run back in the bottom half before Iowa threatened again in the ninth.
The Hawkeyes put two runners on base via a Seegers single and Wilmes hit by pitch, bringing Williams to the plate with two outs. The first baseman barrelled up the first pitch he saw, but it carried to the warning track and was caught in center to end the game.
Iowa out-hit Michigan State, 11-10, in the game with Anthony (2-for-4, 4 RBIs), Fullard (2-for-3), Petersen (2-for-5) and Seegers (2-for-4) collecting multi-hit games.
Langenberg (5-2) suffered the loss, allowing six runs (five earned) on five hits in one inning. Five relievers saw action in the game.
QUOTING HEAD COACH RICK HELLER
“We had a rough start. Michigan State came out on fire; they had eight hits in the second inning, and we couldn’t get them out. Everything their bat touched fell for a hit and we had a call go against us at the plate that hurt and cost us four runs, so it ended up being nine instead of five.
“We didn’t do a whole lot off Harrison in the first 5-6 innings and we rallied late and had a chance and never gave up. It is a disappointing loss, but we never quit. You have to like that about our team.”
OF NOTE…
– Iowa falls to 24-8 this season when out-hitting its opponents.
– The Hawkeye bullpen allowed five runs (one earned) on five hits over eight innings with 11 strikeouts.
– Anthony’s grand slam gives him a team-best 48 RBIs.
– The Hawkeyes left 12 batters on base in the game.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes play their final midweek game of the season Tuesday, traveling to UIC for a 6:05 p.m. (CT) contest at Curtis Granderson Field.
