Iowa Hawkeyes baseball team rakes Ohio State again

IOWA CITY – You might be facing a pitching staff that hasn’t been very good all season, but you’ve still got to take advantage of it.

Let’s just say the Iowa baseball team has taken advantage of it so far this weekend.

The Hawkeyes beat up Ohio State, 12-5, Saturday afternoon at Banks Field. It’s the second game in a row Iowa has put up a dozen runs, successfully following up Friday night’s 12-0, seven-inning win against the Buckeyes.

“I think we’re in a pretty good spot,” said Iowa’s Reese Moore. “We’re playing some really good baseball right now. Our offense has kind of shown the last two days what we’re capable of, and that’s huge for us. Our pitching has been really good, and right now, we’re just playing Hawkeye baseball. It’s a lot of fun to be a part of. Anytime you win, it’s fun.”

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Moore, a sophomore from Van Meter, hit a two-run home run in a five-run first inning for Iowa (13-8 overall, 6-2 in Big Ten play), adding a two-run single in a three-run third. Ohio State pitchers issued 13 walks and hit two batters.

The Buckeyes went into Saturday with a 9.13 earned run average.

“We were able to take advantage of the free bases they did give us today,” said Iowa Coach Rick Heller. “Earlier in the year, we would get into some situations similar to today: bases loaded and nobody out. But we’d get a strikeout, a double play and then uh, oh, you don’t score a run. You have them on the ropes and let them go. As a coach, you’re probably never satisfied with those situations, honestly. But today we were able to take advantage of it and score some runs.”

Which was important because Iowa starting pitcher Aaron Savary had an uncharacteristically subpar outing. The junior from Dubuque Wahlert has been really, really good since joining the Hawkeyes starting rotation this season, but gave up five runs in 3 1/3 innings here.

The bullpen, however, was terrific. Anthony Watts (who got the victory), Brant Hogue and Jack Whitlock combined for 5 2/3 shutout innings, allowing just one hit.

“It was really apparent Savary wasn’t as sharp as he’s been the first five weeks,” Heller said. “But he gutted it out for us and gave us some innings and kept us in the game. Then the same with Watts and Hogue. Jack came in and did exactly what you want in the ninth: one, two, three, shut the door … We got it done. Just really liked the energy and the effort.”

Iowa has clinched its third series victory to begin Big Ten play and seeks its first sweep Sunday when these teams play again at 1:02 p.m. The Hawkeyes previously beat Rutgers and Michigan State two of three games.

“It’s just not trying to do too much,” Moore said. “It’s just coming in with the same mindset that we had Friday and Saturday. When we come in and be that team, we’re a really good team.”

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