Bullpen struggles continue, Hawkeyes fall to Ole Miss
The Iowa Baseball season entered the season ranked as the #20 team in the country, but all of the sudden, March 3rd could be an early important game for the Hawkeyes. They dropped their Saturday contest against Ole Miss 12-5, setting up a series deciding game on Sunday. A loss would send Iowa into week four of the season with a 5-6 record.
The offense got off to another hot start against opposing starting pitching. Ole Miss starter JT Quinn struggled with command and the Hawkeyes put runs on the board in the early innings.
In the top of the first, Sam Petersen reached with a one out single and then got to third base after a pair of wild pitches. Davis Cop singled to right field and Iowa was out to a 1-0 lead before the Rebels even stepped to the plate.
The lead was short lived, as Andrew Fischer launched a solo home run to tie the game in the bottom of the first. However, HC Mike Bianco did not get much longevity from his starter. Singles from Raider Tello and Reese Moore got the rally started in the third inning. After an errant throw from 3B Andrew Fischer scored a run, Andy Nelson delivered a three-run home run. Starter JT Quinn allowed five runs over 2.2 innings and the Rebels went to the bullpen very early.
The story of the game was what happened in the bullpens. The Ole Miss bullpen was good and the Iowa bullpen was not. The Rebels held the Hawkeyes scoreless over the final 6.1 innings, including just five hits and four strikeouts to just one walk. Austin Simmons and Josh Mallitz each tossed 2.0 scoreless innings.
Ole Miss slowly worked their way back into the game with a run in the third and then a two-run home run from Andrew Fischer, his second of the game, to cut the lead to 5-4. In the fifth, the Rebels took the lead. Marcus Morgan loaded the bases to end his outing and then Ben DeTaeye issued a walk to bring in a run. Ethan Groff drove in a run with a sac fly to make it 6-5. Iowa never saw the lead again.
Trailing 7-5, the Hawkeyes got their leadoff runner on base in the seventh, eighth and ninth, but batted just 1/9 with runners on base over that stretch. Ole Miss added on five runs on two hits and four free bases in the eighth inning to put the game to rest.
At the plate, Raider Tello extended his hitting streak to ten games, with a game-high three hits, while Andy Nelson added two hits, including a home run. Through ten games, the Iowa starting pitching has a 2.95 ERA. The bullpen has a 10.06 ERA, including 48 free bases over 49.2 innings.
Final Pitching Stat Lines
IOWA
Marcus Morgan: 4.1 INN, 6 R, 7 H, 5 K, 4 BB Ben DeTaeye: 0.1 INN, 1 BB, 1 HBP Aaron Savary: 1.1 INN, 1 R, 2 H, 2 K, 1 BB Sam Hart: 1.1 INN, 2 R, 1 H, 2 K, 1 BB Jack Whitlock: 0.0 INN, 3 R, 3 BB Caleb Strack: 0.0 INN, 1 H Chas Wheatley: 0.2 INN, 1 K
OLE MISS
JT Quinn: 2.2 INN, 5 R, 1 ER, 6 H, 2 K, 2 BB Mitch Murrell: 1.1 INN, 0 R, 2 H, 1 K Austin Simmons: 2.0 INN, 0 R, 0 H Josh Mallitz: 2.0 INN, 0 R, 3 H, 2 K Sam Tookoian: 1.0 INN, 0 R, 1 K, 1 BB
Up Next, the Hawkeyes will wrap up their three-game series against Ole Miss with the rubber match on Sunday. Iowa will send Cade Obermueller to the mound, while the Rebels will start Grayson Saunier. First pitch is set for 12:00pm CT on SECN+.
