Hawkeyes Roll Past Braves, 21–8

PEORIA, Ill. - The University of Iowa baseball team defeated Bradley University, 21-8, on Tuesday night at Dozer Park.

The Hawkeyes got on the board in the opening inning after drawing four consecutive walks to start the game. Senior Joey Nerat, hitting in the five spot, was then hit by a pitch to force in another run. Junior Kooper Schulte followed with a two-RBI single to right field. Schulte later stole second, and Nerat came in to score to cap the inning.

The Braves responded in the bottom of the first, scoring a run on a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded before a grand slam tied the game at 5-5.

Iowa regained the lead in the second inning when senior Miles Risley hit a two-run home run to left field. The Hawkeyes added five more runs in the frame, highlighted by an RBI from redshirt sophomore Jaxien Frost and two RBIs each from Schulte and senior Caleb Wulf, as Iowa tallied seven hits in the inning.

In the top of the third, redshirt freshman Kyle Alivo hit Iowa’s second home run of the game to extend the lead to eight.

The Hawkeyes continued their momentum in the fourth, adding three more runs. Redshirt freshman Carter Geffre delivered a two-RBI double, and Nerat later tripled to bring Geffre home, pushing the score to 16-5.

Bradley held Iowa scoreless in the fifth and responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning.

In the top of the sixth, Schulte reached on an error to open the inning, allowing graduate student Matthew Delgado to score. Frost followed with a sacrifice fly, and another run scored on a throwing error. The inning concluded when Wulf reached on another error, bringing Schulte home to make the score 20-8.

To cap off the game, Ben Swails reached on a fielder’s choice to score Nerat.

OF NOTE..
- Nerat recorded two triples in tonight’s matchup. The last time a Hawkeye had two triples in a game was Michael Seegers vs. Ohio State on May 5, 2023 (W, 16-9). 
- Rick Heller recorded his 400th win as head coach of Iowa. 
- The Hawkeyes are 6-0 in midweek matchups and have won five of those games by 10 or more runs.

UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes host Minnesota for a three-game series April 3-5. All three games will be broadcast on B1G+ and the Hawkeye Radio Network.