By Adam Hensley | [email protected]

Rutgers piled up runs early and often as Iowa fell in a 13-5 loss on Sunday — only its third home loss this season.

The Scarlet Knights won their second Big Ten road series in the past two years (third since joining the conference), and the Hawkeyes dropped only their second conference home series in the past three seasons.
Iowa’s previous series defeat at the hands of a conference opponent at home came exactly one year from its series-clinching loss to Rutgers (April 23, 2016, a 12-9 loss against No. 18 Michigan).

“Obviously, we showed at Nebraska we can compete with the best teams in the conference,” Matt Hoeg said. “It’s just frustrating to come out against teams like this that we all feel we’re better than, and lay an egg, and lose two.”

Rutgers cranked out 10 runs on 8 hits in the game’s first four innings, going up 10-0 before Iowa found the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth.

Iowa struggled on the mound — Cole McDonald, Drake Robison, and Nick Nelsen allowed 13 runs on 10 hits.

“The pitching in the early innings didn’t give us a chance,” Iowa head coach Rick Heller said. “The first three guys that threw had about as bad a day as they could possibly have.”

The Hawkeyes’ best pitching effort came from Sammy Lizarraga and Shane Ritter, who shut out Rutgers during their time (6 innings) on the mound while allowing only 6 hits.

The Hawkeyes mustered 6 hits — 4 of which game from Chris Whelan and Mason McCoy — in a relatively quiet game outside of the fourth and fifth innings.

During those innings, Iowa scored its 5 runs. Two of those came off Hoeg’s second home run of the series and his third on the year. Robert Neustrom’s 3-run double in the fifth proved to be Iowa’s final scoring play of the game.

Iowa lost on Aplril 22, but it in different fashion.

Costly errors led to a Rutgers win after the Hawkeyes led 1-0 after the third inning.

The Knights churned out 5 runs over the course of the final six innings.

“As a team, I think we got to clutch up,” Whelan said. “If we get guys on second base, we got to start driving them in.”

Whelan’s home run in the third inning gave Iowa the first lead, and the Hawkeyes finished with an all-around hitting effort — 6 different batters got a hit, and as a team Iowa recorded 10.

Despite a late 2-run rally (Whelan’s second home run of the game), Iowa’s 3 errors ended up costing the team numerous chances to end innings and stop Rutgers’ scoring opportunities.

Iowa took the first game against Rutgers, 8-3, on April 21, thanks in part to big hits and strong pitching.

Most of the Hawkeyes’ damage came in the game’s first six innings.

Hoeg sent a 2-run double down the left field line to give Iowa its first lead of the game in the second inning. He also drilled a ball over the left-field fence in the sixth.

Hoeg finished 2-for-4 with 4 RBIs, one of the junior’s most productive outings in a Hawkeye uniform.

Nick Gallagher earned the win on April 21, pitching six innings. He gave up 2 runs on 5 hits and struck out 4. Zach Daniels got the save, pitching the game’s final three innings (4 hits, 1 run, 3 strikeouts).

Another nonconference midweek matchup awaits the Hawkeyes. Milwaukee will travel on Tuesday for a 6:05 p.m. contest at Banks Field.