Iowa baseball wins first leg of three-game series against Central Michigan
A three-run homer from freshman Sam Petersen helped push the Hawkeyes past the Chippewas at Duane Banks Field on Friday.
Iowa left fielder Sam Petersen celebrates a home run during a baseball game between Iowa and Central Michigan at Duane Banks Field in Iowa City on Friday, March 25, 2022. Petersen drove in three runs. The Hawkeyes defeated the Chippewas, 7-4.
March 25, 2022
The Iowa baseball team defeated Central Michigan, 7-4, Friday night at Duane Banks Field.
The Hawkeyes jumped out to a 3-0 lead after four innings. A three-run, third-inning home run from freshman Sam Petersen gave Iowa’s its early lead.
After the game, Petersen said he accounted for the wind in Iowa City — which reached 27 miles per hour during Friday’s contest — prior to swinging on his homer.
“On a windy day like today, I was just thinking about getting the ball in the air to the right side,” Petersen said. “That’s all you really have to do. It would’ve been silly to try to pull a ball on a day like today. So, it was my approach to go that way and it worked out.”
The Chippewas and Hawkeyes were tied through six innings on Friday. Then, the Hawkeyes put the game out of reach with a run in the seventh frame and two more in the eighth.
In addition to the gusts, the Hawkeyes fought through wind chill temperatures below 40 degrees and some frozen precipitation.
“The wind was miserable today,” Iowa head coach Rick Heller said. “The first thing you have to do on a day like today is communicate. When you’re cold, your hands are freezing … It’s just about survival. I’m really happy because I thought we showed some toughness. We need to do the same things we did today when we come back out here tomorrow.”
Hawkeye pitchers impress
To combat Friday’s windy conditions, the Hawkeyes leaned on their pitching staff. Six players took the mound for Iowa.
Central Michigan managed just one hit in five innings against Hawkeye starter Adam Mazur.
When Mazur struggled in the sixth frame, Iowa employed the services of hurlers like senior Ben Beutel, junior Jared Simpson, and sophomores Jacob Henderson, Casey Day, and Luke Llewellyn. Llewellyn was credited with the save.
Big picture
Counting Friday night’s game, the Hawkeyes have now won their last three contests.
Iowa is 11-8 on the season. The Hawkeyes’ first Big Ten Conference game will come on April 1 as they travel to Ray Fisher Stadium in Ann Arbor to play the Michigan Wolverines.
Up next
The Hawkeyes will play the Chippewas two more times this weekend. Saturday’s Iowa-Central Michigan game will begin at 2:05 p.m. at Duane Banks Field. The contest will also stream live on BTN+.