Iowa baseball: Hawks steal game vs top seeded Indiana

Win out or go home is what it is at stake for the Iowa baseball team. Day one at the B1G tournament was off to a good start.

The Iowa baseball team ended the regular season poorly. From sitting in a good spot in the standings just a couple of weeks ago to barely getting in the tournament. After dropping five straight games, the Hawkeyes entered the B1G Tournament as the 8th seed and had to face top-seeded Indiana Hoosiers.

Against the best of the Big Ten, the Iowa baseball team started the tournament the way it needed to keep their hopes alive.

It was a pitching duel through must of the game. The Iowa baseball team needed a big performance from their ace and senior leader, Cole McDonald and they certainly got one. McDonald went 8 innings, striking out 9 while giving up just 5 hits and 1 run. That run came in the 6th inning on an RBI single.

Iowa’s offense was quiet till the 7th when they busted it open. The Iowa baseball team scored 3 in the top of the 7th to take the lead. Shortstop, Tanner Wetrich started the scoring with an RBI single that scored Ben Norman. Then, senior outfielder Chris Whelan hit an RBI sacrifice fly that scored Wetrich. To finish off the scoring for the inning, first baseman, Izaya Fullard, who had been clutch all season, hit a 2 out RBI single that scored Mitchell Boe.

The Hawkeyes added an insurance run in the 8th inning when Indiana dropped a pop fly. The hustle from Ben Norman from second with two outs helped the Hawks get that run.

In the bottom of the 9th inning, Iowa called on closer Grant Leonard to finish the game. Indiana got a run from an RBI single that didn’t hurt the Hawkeyes as they would finish the game with a 4-2 victory. With the save from Grant Leonard he is now the leader in saves with 14 in a single season from an Iowa pitcher.

If the Iowa baseball team wants to go dancing, they have to win the B1G tournament. Beating top-seeded Indiana is a step in the right direction.