The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

Baseball sails in tune-up game

Iowas+Brady+Schanuel+pitches+during+a+game+against+the+Iowa+Valley+League+All+Stars+on+Tuesday+July+25%2C+2017.+The+Hawkeyes+won+7-3.+%28Elle+May%2FThe+Daily+Iowan%29
Iowa’s Brady Schanuel pitches during a game against the Iowa Valley League All Stars on Tuesday July 25, 2017. The Hawkeyes won 7-3. (Elle May/The Daily Iowan)

The Iowa Hawkeye baseball team triumphed over the Iowa Valley League All-Stars at Banks Field on Tuesday night, 7-3.

It was the first of two warm-up games the Hawkeyes will play before they head to Wichita for the National Baseball Congress World Series running July 29-Aug. 6.

Iowa’s starter was the recent junior-college transfer from Parkland, Brady Schanuel.

For Hawkeye fans, it was the first time they got to see the 6-3 right hander, and he did not disappoint them; through three innings, Schanuel walked 1, struck out 5, and allowed just 1 hit while not yielding a run.

“It’s really exciting,” he said about his first time putting on a Hawkeye uniform. “It’s a cool experience, can’t wait to get going in Wichita and then again in Taiwan.”

On the hitters’ side, the bottom of the order got things started for the Hawkeyes in the second inning.

After a two-out double by Tanner Wetrich, Hawkeye sophomore Kyle Crowl singled to right to put Iowa on the board.

Later in the inning, the Hawkeyes scored again; second basemen Mitchell Boe knocked in Crowl with a single to center.

RELATED: Future is now for Crowl

For Crowl, having two big hits in the game is reassurance that his time in the Prospects League this summer has paid off.

“It’s helped me a ton,” Crowl said. “There’s nothing like getting consistent at-bats over the summer. You can work in the cage all you want, but it’s nothing like when you get live pitching, and you face them and do well.”

The Hawkeyes were only able to hold on to the lead for one inning. In the top of the fourth, the Valley All-Stars scored twice on Elijah Wood, who came on in relief.

But in the bottom half of the inning, Crowl struck again with an RBI single up the middle to give the lead back to the Hawkeyes, 3-2.

Iowa never looked back from there, as Wood was able to settle down, and the offense heated up, tacking on 3 runs in the next two innings, then adding another in the eighth to seal the 7-3 victory.

Crowl finished the game 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs, and Tyler Cropley went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run. Wetrich reached base three times in five plate appearences, scoring twice.

The bottom half of the order racked up 4 of the 7 the Hawkeyes’ RBIs.

“Usually, we’re sitting here smiling after the bottom half has had a good day,” Iowa coach Rick Heller said. “Crowl played great. Watching him in practice on Monday, there was a night-and-day difference.”

On Thursday, the Hawkeyes will play their final warm-up game before they head to Wichita.

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About the Contributor
Jordan Zuniga, Sports Reporter
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @j_zuni Jordan Zuniga is a sports reporter at The Daily Iowan covering football. This is Zuniga's second year with the DI where he has covered a variety of sports such as: women's basketball, golf, women's soccer, baseball, track and field, softball, and men's basketball.