Iowa Baseball traveled to Seattle for an important Big Ten Conference series against the Washington Huskies. The Hawkeyes were red-hot in Big Ten Conference play entering the series, winning eight straight.
Washington did not care how hot Iowa was. The Huskies won the first two games of the series 4-3, and 3-1, keeping the Hawkeye bats in check. In game one, the Hawkeyes scored three runs on seven hits, but left seven men on base.
Iowa headed into game two on Saturday in a must-win scenario to preserve its series-winning streak. Iowa picked up seven hits for the second straight game, but left a whopping 11 men on base. They managed only one run and lost 3-1.
The Hawkeyes failed in clutch situations in the first two games and lost their first Big Ten series. On Sunday, the Hawkeyes attempted to channel the force on May 4 and leave Seattle with a win.
The Hawkeye bats were cold at the beginning of the game as they scored no runs heading into the fifth inning. Iowa finally scored a run in the top of the fifth, and continued to score through the end of the game.
The Iowa offense added one run in the sixth inning, and two runs in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings to secure the 8-0 win.
Iowa pitcher Reece Beuter pitched a gem, allowing no runs on three hits in seven innings and picked up the win. Pitchers Brant Hogue and Justin Hackett finished the final two innings in relief and combined for no runs and no hits.
The Hawkeyes (32-15, 21-6 Big Ten) travel to Chicago for a mid-week game on Wednesday, May 7, at 6:00 p.m. Central Time against the University of Illinois-Chicago.
After a brief stop in Chicago, the Hawkeyes return to Iowa for a three-game series against Oklahoma State at Principal Park (home of the Chicago Cubs affiliate, the Iowa Cubs) in Des Moines, beginning on Friday, May 9.