Hawkeyes Fall to Wildcats in Series Finale

EVANSTON, Illinois – The University of Iowa baseball team snapped its 10-game Big Ten winning streak with a 5-4 loss to Northwestern on Sunday afternoon at Rocky and Berenice Miller Park. 

The Hawkeyes (20-10, 12-3) had 13 hits to the Wildcats' eight but left 12 runners on base. 

"Tough loss today," said head coach Rick Heller. "We had 13 hits, and when you have 13 hits, you have to score more than four runs. We had opportunities and didn't get the hit."

Reece Beuter started on the mound for Iowa and gave up three runs on four hits in two innings of work. He walked two batters and struck out three. Five other pitchers saw the mound on Sunday, including Ben DeTaeye, who was dinged with the loss. The pitching staff combined for nine strikeouts and six walks.

"We didn't get the start we wanted out of Beuter and had to go to the pen earlier than we would've liked," Heller said. "Up until the end, those guys did a pretty good job."

Northwestern (14-15, 6-6) scored three in the bottom of the third to take their first lead of the series. Iowa got one back in the fourth after Jackson Beaman doubled and Kooper Schulte hit an RBI groundout.

The Hawkeyes knotted the game at three in the sixth inning. Schulte hit a double and advanced to third on the throw to score Beaman, who hustled from first to home. Ben Wilmes followed with an RBI single. 

Northwestern took the lead in the bottom of the eighth with a solo shot to right field. The Hawkeyes never quit, as Blake Guerin smoked an RBI double to score Miles Risley with two outs in the ninth. 

The Wildcats then hit a two-out bases loaded walkoff single in the bottom of the frame to squeeze out the win.

Risley and Guerin led the Iowa offense with three hits each. Wilmes, Beaman and Schulte were the other Hawkeyes with multi-hit games with two each.

"You give up two free bases in the bottom of the ninth, you're setting yourself up to lose. Unfortunately, that's what happened today," said Heller. "You just have to tip your hat and move on."

UP NEXT

Iowa will be back at Duane Banks Field for a midweek matchup with UW-Milwaukee on Tuesday at 4:02 p.m. (CT). The game will be streamed on B1G+ and can be heard on the Hawkeye Radio Network.