The Iowa baseball team took on AIB in its home-opener on Wednesday, winning 7-1 on a newly turfed Banks Field.
After a scoreless opening inning, the Hawkeyes struck first in the bottom of the second. A triple down the first-base line from freshman Austin Guzzo, a single by senior Sean Moore put Iowa up 1-0.
“I felt pretty good,” Guzzo said. “Just looked for a pitch I could drive, tried to be aggressive. That’s our offense, and I just did the job.”
They added 2 more runs the following inning with a combination of small ball, timely hitting, and Eagle mistakes.
Junior Tyler Peyton got things going with a single up the middle off Eagles’ pitcher Trae Johnson. Senior outfielder Kris Goodman advanced Peyton to second on a sacrifice bunt, and then junior Joel Booker drove in Peyton with an RBI double and reached third on an error.
Senior Dan Potempa drove in Booker with groundout to the third baseman, and the Hawks took a 3-0 lead into the fourth inning.
“It was a great win by everyone,” Potempa said. “Our staff did well pitching, everyone threw well and had great hits. We found ways to get guys in, and it was just overall a good day.”
With the bases loaded in the fourth, senior Kris Goodman tripled for 3 RBIs, increasing his team’s lead to 6-0.
After AIB scored in the top of the sixth on an RBI groundout, junior Jimmy Frankos responded with a double down the right field line, scoring Goodman and bumping the Hawkeyes back up by 6.
The team scored its 7 runs on 10 hits and 3 Eagle errors in the contest.
Goodman, playing third base, went 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs. Moore went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
The Hawkeyes used a different pitcher in every inning in the contest, starting the game with sophomore Josh Martsching, who gave up 1 hit and struck out 1.
Senior Nick Hibbing recorded 2 strikeouts in the seventh inning, and the staff had 7 on the day with just 1 walk. Junior Luke Vandermaten came in to close the game for the Hawks, giving up no hits but beaning consecutive AIB batters.
The Eagles used five pitchers in the contest, striking out 3 and walking 4. Six of the 7 runs surrendered to the Hawks were earned.
Overall, head coach Rick Heller was pleased with his team’s Banks Field début.
The win brings Iowa to 10-2 on the young season; they will head to Houston on Friday for four games with Houston Baptist Saturday through March 17.
“I thought it was a good day,” Heller said. “We got everything out of it that we needed to. Obviously, getting a chance to play at home this early in March was big, and I think it will be great when we get back from our spring-break trip and start our home series.”
