Iowa baseball completes series sweep vs. Michigan
Iowa baseball completes series sweep vs. Michigan
After claiming the weekend series with a 3-2 victory on Saturday, Iowa baseball (27-11, 17-4 Big Ten) completed the series sweep vs. Michigan (23-17, 8-10) with a 7-4 Hawkeyes win Sunday afternoon from Ray Fisher Stadium at the Wilpon Baseball and Softball Complex in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Redshirt senior right-hander Reece Beuter (4-0,3.99 ERA) got the start for Iowa as he threw six innings, allowing one earned run on three hits while walking two batters and matching a career-high with eight strikeouts.
Anthony Watts (3-2, 3.90 ERA) came out of the bullpen and threw the final two innings to earn the win and improve to 3-2 on the season. In his closeout role, he gave up just one run on two hits and struck out one batter.
"Reece Beuter was outstanding today," said head coach Rick Heller. "After that, the bullpen hung on for us. Hogue and Watts did a really nice job of shutting it down."
Similar to the start of Game 2, Michigan opened the scoring in the first inning with a solo home run. The Hawkeyes would take the lead in the fifth when Miles Risley hit a two-RBI single with two outs in the frame. Iowa added another run to make it a 3-1 score in the seventh on a Blake Guerin RBI single up the middle.
The Wolverines cut their deficit to one in the seventh by scoring on an error, and then knotted the game at three in the eighth.
The Hawkeyes promptly responded with a massive four-run ninth inning, highlighted by an RBI SAC fly from Risley and a bases-clearing double from pinch-hitter Mitch Wood.
"Mitch Wood steps up with a two-strike two-out bases loaded double over the right fielder's head to break it open for us," said Heller. "I couldn't be happier for Mitch. He's been waiting for his time. He about tied it up for us last week in the game we lost to Nebraska, but he came through today."
While Michigan would strike back with a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to make it a 7-4 score, Risley would rob Michigan's Cole Caruso of the Wolverines' second home run of the inning with a leaping catch in center field that all but finished any threat of a late rally.
"Risley made an unbelievable catch in centerfield in the ninth inning to really finish it off for us," said Heller.
Risley led the Iowa offense, going 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, three RBIs, and a run scored.
"Offensively, we had chances to break it open early and didn't execute real well," said Heller. "The pitchers picked us up this weekend and the offense did just enough. I'm really happy for the team."
Regarding the Big Ten standings, Iowa's weekend sweep of the Wolverines, coupled with UCLA dropping two of three against Oregon, now extends the Hawkeyes' lead atop the conference to 2 1/2 games.
Iowa will return home to Duane Banks Field for the next game on Tuesday, April 22, when the Hawkeyes play another midweek non-conference game vs. Western Illinois (11-24, 5-10 Ohio Valley).
Tuesday's game will begin at 6:02 p.m. CT and stream on Big Ten Plus (subscription required). Fans can also follow along through the Hawkeyes Radio Network alongside play-by-play voice John Leo and color analyst John Evans.
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