After coming back from a 6-run deficit Tuesday night to beat the Air Force Academy, the Hawkeye baseball team had more fireworks in store for Wednesday night’s contest against the Falcons. Except this time, they weren’t quite so dramatic.

The Hawkeyes beat Air Force, 22-2, Wednesday night, scoring at least a run in every inning but the fifth, to move to 16-15. Air Force fell to 18-10.

Iowa head coach Rick Heller said the team’s preparation and an emphasis on a fast start were keys in the second game of the midweek affair.

“I was really happy with how we came out to play,” Heller said. “I felt like, from the time we got to the ball park today for batting practice, the guys were locked in and ready to play. I think it showed; we scored runs right away.”

Freshman right-hander Cole McDonald earned the win and moves to 3-1 on the year. The New Hampton native went four innings, allowing just 2 hits and no runs. He struck out 5.

But the 22-run explosion wasn’t the biggest story of the night for the Hawks. Junior third baseman Mason McCoy recorded the program’s first cycle since 2007, going 5-for-7 with 6 RBIs.

“I’ve had nights where it feels like everything is barreled up, but definitely not like this,” McCoy said. “The baseball was looking big, and I felt like everything I swung at was getting barreled.”

Hawkeye catcher Daniel Aaron Moriel, who went 3-for-5 with 6 RBIs to tie McCoy, said all the Hawkeyes saw the ball well on Wednesday night, and they have 22 runs to prove it.

“We took advantage of free bases, and a couple guys got big hits,” Moriel said. “The guys who were in the lineup today took full advantage of being there, and we jumped out on top early.”

A host of Hawks collected RBIs. Senior shortstop Nick Roscetti drove in 3, senior outfielder John Barrett grabbed 2, and Mitchell Boe, Austin Guzzo, Corbin Woods, and Joel Booker all drove in 1.

Perhaps the only negative on the night came in the form of an apparent elbow injury to freshman hurler Sammy Lizarraga. He relieved starter McDonald, exiting in the fifth inning.

Now with their attention turned to a three-game weekend series at Indiana, Heller said the players could pull lessons learned from Wednesday night’s win to help against the Hoosiers.