Box Score
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Iowa 4, Northwestern 3 Duane Banks Field | Iowa City, Iowa Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (HTML) |
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IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Senior Brandon Magallones pitched seven shutout innings and cracked Northwestern all-time top 10 for career strikeouts, but No. 14 Iowa strung together a three-run rally in the bottom of the ninth to defeat the Wildcats, 4-3, on Friday night at Banks Field.
Fifth-year senior Scott Heelan, sophomore Joe Hoscheit and freshman Connor Lind set the pace for the `Cats as the trio combined for six of Northwestern's nine hits.
Redshirt-senior Kyle Ruchim started the game with a laser to the centerfield gap, but Iowa's Eric Toole made a highlight catch for the first out. That did not slow NU's bats as Jones and Heelan teamed up with a pair of singles to put the `Cats in scoring position. Hoscheit followed up with a stand-up double to left field to cross junior Zach Jones and open scoring for the Wildcats.
Heelan gave Northwestern an early 2-0 lead when he scored on a passed ball, but Hoscheit was forced out at home plate and Mitchell was picked off at first to end the inning.
Toole led off the bottom of the frame with a single up the middle before stealing second and advancing to third on a base hit to right field. With no outs and runners on the corners, junior Tyler Peyton grounded into a double play, but Toole scored on the effort to put the Hawkeyes on the board.
The Wildcats extended their lead in the top of the fourth as Hoscheit tipped off the frame with his second hit of the night. Mitchell was hit by a pitch and both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt from sophomore Matt Hopfner. Hoscheit plated another run for Northwestern on a groundout from fifth-year senior Cody Stevens.
The Hawkeyes threatened in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, placing runners in scoring position in all three frames. Magallones, however, was able to escape the jams to prevent Iowa from closing the gap.
Magallones attempted to throw for a complete game, but in the bottom of the ninth, the senior surrendered back-to-back singles to start the inning. Stolley entered in relief and walked the first batter he faced before allowing a single to cross a Hawkeye run and cut the deficit to one. Iowa added two more runs to claim the series-opener, 4-3, in walk-off fashion.
The Wildcats and Hawkeyes return to action Saturday, April 17, as they continue their Big Ten series at 2p.m. CST. Junior Matt Portland is slated to take the mound for NU and will face off against Iowa's Blake Hickman. The game will be broadcast live on BTN Plus.
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