Team USA Hawkeye baseball goes for gold against Japan

August 29, 2017

Iowa outfielder Ben Norman bats during a baseball game between the Iowa Hawkeyes representing the United States as the USA National Team and the Quad City Cardinals at Duane Banks Field on Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017. The Hawkeyes will compete for gold at the World University Games in Taipei, Taiwan, against Japan today at 5:30 a.m. CDT. (Joseph Cress/The Daily Iowan)

Team USA will get a shot at winning its first gold medal in the history of the World University Games today as it faces Japan at 5:30 a.m. CDT.

“We know we’ll have to play better against the Japanese team,” head coach Rick Heller said in a release. “They are a team we’ve watched every game, and they don’t beat themselves. We have to match that. That is something we haven’t been doing a great job of. We’ve been scoring enough runs to win, but we’ve been a little sloppy on the mound and on defense. We have to shore that up.”

The red-white-and-blue Hawkeyes took down the Czech Republic again, this time by a score of 8-4, to get to this point.

RELATED: Iowa baseball tests new-look lineup in Taiwan

Through the first 6.5 innings, USA trailed 4-3 before junior outfielder Chris Whelan hit a 2-run single. His shot, straight into left field with the bases loaded, put the Americans on top, 5-4.

Junior outfielder Robert Neustrom’s 3-run double later that inning with the bases loaded for a second time proved to be the final nail in the Czech Republic’s coffin.

Today’s contest against Japan won’t be the first time these two teams clashed at the World University Games.

On Aug. 23, Japan toppled USA, 11-5, tearing into the American bullpen after falling behind early.