Hawkeyes battle the rain, salvage the series in Lincoln

For a 26-hour stretch this weekend, the situation was not a favorable one for the Iowa Baseball team. On Saturday evening, a pair of two-run home runs off the bat of Josh Caron and Cole Evans gave Nebraska a commanding 8-1 lead in the fifth inning of game two. The Huskers were on the verge of clinching the series. Then, the storms intervened and delayed the proceedings until Sunday.

The Hawkeyes went back to their hotel and for over 24 hours, they sat there trailing 8-1. When they returned to play on Sunday afternoon, the Huskers delivered the knockout blow plating three runs in the seventh, including a solo home run from Joshua Overbeek to complete a 12-2 run-rule victory.

After a sweep of Rutgers last weekend mightily improved their Big Ten Tournament chances, the Hawkeyes needed to avoid getting swept and finding themselves back on the bubble. Brody Brecht took the mound and delivered his second straight quality start to lead Iowa to victory.

Following a scoreless 7.2 inning outing against the Scarlet Knights, Brody kept the Nebraska offense quiet for seven innings on Sunday. Brecht allowed just one run on two hits over 7.0 innings, including 11 strikeouts to just three walks. He threw 65 of his 109 (59.6%) pitches for strikes and allowed multiple runners to reach base in just one inning. It was the outing the Hawkeyes needed to get out of Lincoln with a win.

Case Sanderson reached base with a leadoff walk in the first inning, but Cade Moss gunned him down on a steal attempt to end the inning. Brody was dialed in over the next two innings, recording six straight strikeouts. The Huskers were able to get on the board in the fourth inning.

With a runner on first and one out, first baseman Tyler Stone drove a fly ball to deep right-center field. Andy Nelson tracked it down, but could not haul it in with a sliding attempt. The double put two runners in scoring position with less than two outs. However, Brody was able to limit the damage. Josh Caron drove in the Huskers first, and only run of the game with a sacrifice fly, while Ben Columbus flew out to end the inning.

At the plate, the Hawkeyes didn’t tear it up against Nebraska starter Will Walsh, but they did enough damage to get the win. They got on the board in the first inning off the bat of Davis Cop. Andy Nelson worked a two out walk and was rewarded for his efforts with an RBI double from Cop to put Iowa on top 1-0.

In the second, it was more damage with two outs. Walsh recorded the first two outs of the inning on eight pitches, but Gable Mitchell got ahold of his 1-1 offering and drove it over the left field wall for a solo home run. His second home run of the season made it 2-0 Hawkeyes.

Then, in the fifth inning, Raider Tello took a 3-1 pitch from Walsh and deposited it in the Iowa bullpen for a solo home run. His fifth home run of the season made it 3-1 Iowa and knocked Will Walsh out of the game. The redshirt junior allowed three runs on five hits over 4.2 innings, including just one strikeout to two walks.

The Hawkeyes added on an insurance run in the sixth inning. Connor Hennings got the start in left field and led off the inning with a double to left-center. He would later score on a wild pitch from reliever Grant Cleavinger to make it a three-run advantage.

After Brody Brecht departed the game, Jack Young picked up right where he left off. Young struck out the side in the eighth inning and then retired the Huskers in order in the ninth to close out the series finale. He finished with four strikeouts over 2.0 innings and threw 15 of his 25 (60.0%) pitches for strikes.

Raider Tello finished the day with three hits and extended his on-base streak to 31 straight games, while Andy Nelson reached base three times.

Up Next, the Hawkeyes will host the Illinois State Redbirds for a midweek matchup on Tuesday evening. First pitch is set for 6:05pm CT on BTN+.