OMAHA, Neb. – The University of Iowa baseball team shutout Michigan, 5-0, to advance to the Big Ten Tournament championship game on Saturday afternoon at Charles Schwab Field.
Ty Langenberg got the start and spun a gem for the Hawkeyes throwing seven innings and striking out nine while allowing just two hits.
“Ty did exactly what you expect a veteran with a lot of confidence to do,” said head coach Rick Heller. “He went out there and attacked the strike zone. I feel like since the weather has warmed up, he has been really sharp. When he’s hitting with all four of his pitches, he can beat anyone in the country. He pitched a gem today and his quiet confidence is the Ty Langenberg we like to see. He did everything he needed to do to put us in a good position going into tomorrow.”
Will Christophersen, Chas Wheatly, and Luke Llewellyn closed out the final two innings of the contest. Llewellyn struck out three to end the game.
“We have won games in every way imaginable this year,” said Heller. “That’s a tribute to the balance that we have with this team this year. With the pitching, the hitting, and then the big one that we haven’t talked a lot about in this tournament is our defense. Our defense is elite level and the incredible play that Seegers made up the middle in the seventh was a game changing play. That game changes a lot if that ball gets through but it gave us energy and confidence to be able to close it out.”
Raider Tello was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and Kyle Huckstorf was 1-for-4 with an RBI triple. Sam Hojnar and Brennen Dorighi each added an RBI.
OF NOTE
– Iowa moves to 42-13 on the season.
– 42 wins is the second most in school history (44, 1981) and the most wins under Head Coach Rick Heller.
– This was Iowa’s sixth shutout of the season, which is tied for second in the nation.
– This will be Iowa’s fifth Big Ten Championship game appearance and third under Heller (1983, 2010, 2016, 2017).
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes face the winner of Nebraska and Maryland for the Championship at 2 p.m. (CT) tomorrow.