IOWA CITY, Iowa – Black used the long ball in a 4-0 win in Friday’s five-inning series finale. The win clinched the Black and Gold World Series for the Black team.
Junior Justin Hackett got the nod for the Gold team and went three up, three down with two strikeouts to start the game. Senior Sam Hart entered the game with two outs in the top of the third and left two stranded as he induced a ground ball out to end the inning.
Junior Cade Obermueller got the start and threw two hitless innings with four strikeouts. Redshirt senior Ben DeTaeye was the only relief pitcher used as he went three innings allowing one hit and struck out five.
Through three innings Black had the only hit of the game as freshman Collin Coonradt singled up the middle in the second.
Senior Will Pearson entered in relief for Hart with one on and one out in the fourth for Gold. Coonradt capitalized as he sent a two-run home run over the wall in left field to give Black the lead, 2-0.
Ben Wilmes led off the home half of the fourth with Gold’s first hit of the game. DaTaeye retired the next three hitters in order to send the game to the final inning. Black doubled their lead in the fifth on a two-run home run off the bat of Cash Campbell.
Gold got runners on first and second with one out in the fifth but Black turned a double play to end the game. Black finished the game with four runs on four hits.
The Hawkeyes have concluded their fall slate. Iowa opens its spring season at USF for a three-game series in Tampa, Fla. starting on Feb. 14.