Hawkeyes Down the Huskies, 21-13

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona – The University of Iowa baseball team downed the Northeastern Huskies in a high scoring matchup, 21-13, on Sunday afternoon at the MLB Desert Invitational.

“Proud of our guys today,” said head coach Rick Heller. “Down five early, we just kept playing. We had so many quality at‑bats up and down the lineup—unselfish at‑bats that allowed us to get back in the game and win. We took advantage of the free bases they gave us. Once we took the lead, we stayed on them, scoring runs in all but two innings.

“Joe Husak did a nice job of slowing the game down after the rough start. Brady Ferguson gave us two quality innings. Maddux Frese was great in the final 3 2/3 to close it out. Sometimes you have to out‑slug them. Today was one of those days.”

Graduate transfer Joe Husak came on in relief for Iowa and ultimately earned the win, tossing three innings with three strikeouts and no walks.

The Huskies jumped out to an early lead, scoring four runs in the top of the first and adding another in the second to take a 5-0 advantage. Offensively, redshirt sophomore Max Burt put the Hawkeyes on the board with a sharp line-drive single, driving in senior Joey Nerat.

Northeastern scored for the third consecutive inning in the top of the third to take a 6-1 lead before the Hawkeyes offense erupted. In the bottom half, Iowa plated eight runs. Nerat recorded the first RBI of the inning, driving in senior Gable Mitchell. Junior Kooper Schulte and graduate student Bryce Phelps were both hit by pitches with the bases loaded to bring in two more and cut the deficit to 6-4. Burt singled to left field to drive in two runs and tie the game at six. Mitchell followed with a line-drive double to center, bringing in two more. Senior Caleb Wulf capped the inning with an RBI to center, scoring Mitchell and giving Iowa a 9-6 lead after three innings.

Northeastern was held scoreless in the top of the fourth, and Iowa continued to pour it on in the bottom half with six more runs. Redshirt junior Kellen Stromeyer started the scoring with a double to left field, plating Schulte. A wild pitch brought Stromeyer home. Wulf singled for his second hit of the day, scoring redshirt junior Ben Swails. Mitchell showed aggressive baserunning, stealing home after senior Miles Risley drew a walk. Nerat capped the inning with a single to center to score Risley, extending Iowa’s lead to 15-6 after four.

Iowa kept the momentum going in the fifth. Swails delivered an RBI single to score Phelps, and Mitchell added a sacrifice fly to center to bring home Burt, pushing the Hawkeye lead to 17-6.

Northwestern answered with a six-run inning in the top of the sixth, but Iowa responded with three runs of its own in the bottom half. Burt drew a bases-loaded walk to bring home Schulte, and two wild pitches allowed Stromeyer and Phelps to score.

Both teams traded a run in the seventh inning, making the score 21-13 in favor of Iowa. Maddux Freese came in to close out the last 3 2/3 innings for Iowa tallying three strikeouts, while allowing one walk and one run to earn the save.

OF NOTE
- Iowa’s last 20-run performance came in 2024, when it scored 25 runs against Grand View.
- Sunday’s game marked the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
- Freshman Carter Wilcox made his first collegiate appearance and start, while fellow freshman Brady Ferguson made his collegiate debut on the mound.
- Transfers Husak and juniors Beau Leisure and Frese each made their first appearances in a Hawkeye uniform.
- Swails earned his first start of the season.

NEXT UP
The Hawkeyes (2-1) return to Iowa City for their home opener against UW-Platteville at 3:05 p.m. (CT).