Illinois Ends Hawkeye Baseball Season

Illini Take Out Iowa Thursday at B1G Tournament

Iowa head coach Rick Heller watches during a NCAA Big Ten Conference baseball game against Michigan / Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen /

Iowa baseball coach Rick Heller didn’t understand the explanation.

But it was a call that helped end the Hawkeyes’ season.

An interference call on a 10th-inning double play attempt cost Iowa a crucial run in Thursday’s 4-2 loss to Illinois in a Big Ten Tournament elimination game at Charles Schwab Field.

The Hawkeyes had the bases loaded with nobody out in the bottom of the 10th when Michael Seegers hit a grounder to Illinois first baseman Drake Westcott, who threw to second base for the force out on pinch-runner Kyle Huckstorf. The return throw from shortstop Cal Hejza was late, and Iowa appeared to have cut the lead to 4-3.

Except Huckstorf was called for interference on the play. Seegers was also ruled to be out, and runners Davis Cop, who would have scored on the play from third base, and Reece Moore were sent back to their bases. The replay official agreed with the call, and Heller was ejected for arguing the call.

Ben Wilmes then struck out to end the game.

“How it all went down at the end, I don't really understand,” Heller said. “I still don't know what they saw on the double play, and I've watched it plenty of times. To have it end like that, I don't really know what else to say.

"The slide rule was one that I've never agreed with. You should be able to have an arm's length from the bag at the very minimum. I played shortstop my whole life. The situation I saw on video, I don't know where they come up with that call. (Hejza) was off the base in my opinion. When I watched it, I thought it was a no-brainer that it was going to get reversed."

Mark Uhl, the umpire coordinator for the tournament, said through pool reporter Kyle Huesmann of HawkeyeReport.com, “It’s all about the slide in the physical position. That was the ruling on the field, confirmed by video replay.”

Joe Glassey (1-1) was the winning pitcher. Ganon Archer (1-1) took the loss.

Iowa rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to tie the game and send it to extra innings, but Coltin Quagliano’s two-run single in the top of the 10th put the top-seeded Illini out front.

The Hawkeyes tied the game in the sixth inning on Gable Mitchell’s RBI single and Cade Moss’ squeeze bunt.

“Just like yesterday (a 3-2 loss to Michigan) we played hard and competed hard, but we didn't play our best baseball,” Heller said. “We didn't give up, we fought hard. The first two runs (for Illinois) were on a walk and a sac fly, which probably wouldn't have happened if we played clean baseball.”

Iowa starting pitcher Cade Obermueller allowed one run on three hits in five innings. He struck out seven and walked five. Anthony Watts threw 3 2/3 innings of relief and allowed one unearned run on three hits.

"I thought our guys played really hard today,” Heller said. “It was a tough day to score in this ballpark with the wind blowing. (Illinois starter Cooper) Omans did a really nice job staying on the edges and locating his changeup at the bottom and we didn't do a very good job at laying off the edges early in the count.”