By Jake Mosbach
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After getting fooled by Minnesota in the first game of the three-game series on April 1, the Hawkeye baseball team split a double-header with the Gophers on Sunday.
Iowa (11-14, 3-3 Big Ten) took a 6-3 win in the first game on Sunday, with Minnesota (15-10, 2-1 Big Ten) earning a 6-3 victory in the series’ final game. The unscheduled double-header came after the April 2 game was postponed because of inclement weather.
The day’s first game featured a timely Hawkeye offensive explosion. The usual top performers showed up once again for Iowa, with senior outfielder Joel Booker leading the way at the plate. He went 4-for-5 with a home run, a double, 2 RBIs, and 2 runs scored.
Booker’s home run sparked a 4-run fifth for the Hawks, pushing their lead to 6-1. Iowa never relinquished the lead.
Reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Week Robert Neustrom went 1-for-3, producing an RBI double and a run scored. Third baseman Mason McCoy also had a solid day at the plate, going 1-for-3 and grabbing 2 RBIs.
On the mound for the Hawks in the second game two, senior right-hander Tyler Peyton earned his first win of the season (1-3), throwing 5.0 innings of work. Peyton gave up just 5 hits, 1 earned run, and 4 walks while striking out three Gophers.
Redshirt junior Josh Martsching earned the save, his first of the year.
The second game of the double-header was a different story, however. The Gophers out-hit Iowa 9 to 7, smashing 3 home runs in the first inning off of Hawkeye starter Calvin Mathews.
Mathews didn’t see the end of the first inning. The Bloomfield native went just 0.2 innings before leaving the contest, allowing 4 hits and 4 earned runs.
“Calvin wasn’t sharp,” Hawkeye head coach Rick Heller said in a release. “He left some stuff up, the wind was blowing out hard, and he gave up some runs. I was happy with our guys for answering back.”
After falling behind 4-0 the Hawks attempted a comeback, plating 3 runs in the second inning. Peyton picked up an RBI on a groundout to second, scoring Neustrom. Austin Guzzo belted a 2-run home run after that, making the score 4-3.
But that was the last time the Hawks scored.
They had a chance to cut in to the lead in the eighth when Nick Roscetti hit a long fly ball out to left field, sending Booker home from third base. However, Booker’s run was erased when Zach Daniels was thrown out trying to tag up and head to third.
Roscetti, who came in to the game averaging just over .330 on the year, struggled at the plate during the series finale, going 0-for-4. Booker also went 0-for-4 in the 2 hole, and 3-spot hitter Zach Daniels had the same stat line.
“We had a chance to get back in the game and ran ourselves out of it with a bad base-running move,” Heller said. “We just have to keep trying to improve and get better. That’s all we can do.”
The Hawkeyes will be back in action Tuesday, when they will face Milwaukee. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m.
