Iowa Baseball Clinches Series with IU

Hawkeye Pitchers Scatter 3 Hits, Offense Keeps Rolling

The Iowa Baseball teams gets ready to take the field against Indiana on May 19, 2022 at Banks Field in Iowa City, Iowa. (Rob Howe/HawkeyeNation.com)

BOX SCORE

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Redshirt senior Dylan Nedved tossed 5 1/3 no-hit innings, four Hawkeye hurlers scattered three hits and Iowa’s offense stayed hot in a 12-0 series-clinching shutout victory over Indiana on Friday night at Duane Banks Field.

The win gives the Hawkeyes’ their sixth straight series win and eighth in nine weeks. Iowa improves to 32-17 overall and 16-7 in Big Ten play. The 16 league wins are the most in a “non-COVID” season since winning 19 games in 2015.

Nedved (6-2) earned his sixth victory after tossing six shutout innings, allowing one hit and fanning six. The Shawnee, Kansas, native didn’t allow his first hit until Josh Pyne’s single up the middle with one out in the sixth.

“It was in the back of my mind,” said Nedved of the no-hit bid. “It was something I wasn’t worried about. I wanted to get the ball on the ground or in the air and soft contact. It stinks it didn’t happen, but I wasn’t going to make it to the ninth anyway because my pitch count was up there.

“I am just happy with the results.”

Iowa’s bullpen was stingy from there as Jared Simpson, Luke Llewellyn and Will Christophersen allowed two hits over the final three frames. Christophersen struck out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth.

“It was nice to get those three relievers out there tonight, they all performed well,” said head coach Rick Heller. “What do you say, a three-hit shutout against an offense like that. It was an awesome effort from our pitching staff.”

Iowa’s offense continued its hot streak, scoring nine runs over the first five innings on nine hits and finishing with 12 in the game. Since trailing 13-2 through three innings on Thursday, the Hawkeyes have outscored the Hoosiers, 40-3.

“It was huge to keep them out of the game early and keep them down,” said sophomore Michael Seegers.

The Hawkeyes took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a double play ball that plated Seegers before putting up back-to-back four spots in the fourth and fifth innings to break the game open.

Iowa loaded the bases in the fourth before sophomore Cade Moss’ sacrifice fly made it 2-0 and redshirt sophomore Sam Hojnar doubled in two more runs to push the lead to 4-0. Seegers single was the third hit of the inning and stretched the advantage to 5-0.

The Hawkeyes kept their foot on the gas in the fifth when Keaton Anthony hit a solo blast to left field to open the inning for his team-leading 13th homer of the season. Iowa loaded the bases again and Hojnar delivered again with a two-run double to left field to make the score 8-0. Seegers made it 9-0 with an infield single.

Iowa scored its 10th and 11th runs on Seegers’ third and fourth RBIs and Sam Petersen homered in the eighth for his second blast in as many games.

QUOTING COACH HELLER

“We put together a well-played game and had a professional effort by the guys. They showed up focused and locked in. They played confident, loose and aggressive. We were disciplined at the plate against Perkins, a good arm.”

OF NOTE…

• The Hawkeyes have scored 10 or more runs in back-to-back games for the second time this season. Iowa finished with 12 and 11 in Games 1-2 against Air Force and Ball State.
• Iowa has had 10 or more hits in a season-high five games and in seven of the last eight contests.
• Anthony connected on his 13th home run of the season, the most by a Hawkeye freshman since Brad Carlson’s 21 in 1999.
• Iowa’s pitching staff recorded its fifth shutout of the season, the most since 2016.
• The Hawkeyes have allowed three or fewer hits in eight games this season.
• Seegers tied a career high with his four hits and four RBIs; Hojnar tied a season high with three hits, while finishing with a career-high three hits and three RBIs.

UP NEXT

The Hawkeyes will go for the weekend sweep Saturday, hosting the Hoosiers at 8:02 p.m. (CT). Iowa will honor its senior class prior to the contest.