MINNEAPOLIS - It was a picture perfect day for the Hoosiers. For the Hawkeyes, not so much.
This much was evident early in Friday’s elimination game in the Big Ten Tournament. IU scored nine runs in the first three innings. Iowa had two hits in the first five.
IU would beat Iowa 10-2 in the Hoosiers’ second elimination game in as many days behind the early offense and six solid innings from junior starting pitcher Christian Morris.
“When we score early, especially with three runs, it just lets Christian settle in,” sophomore first baseman Austin Cangelosi said. “He settles in and he’s pretty good when he settles in.”
Things did not start great offensively for the Hoosiers though. In the first inning, senior Casey Rodrigue and junior Nick Ramos led off with singles. But then, Rodrigue got caught between second and third base for the first out.
After that, senior Brad Hartong struck out and Ramos was thrown out stealing to end the inning.
“A first inning like that can ruin your game sometimes if you don’t take advantage of it,” IU Coach Chris Lemonis said.
After the first inning though, the Hoosiers threatened again in the second. Following two 2-out singles by sophomore Craig Dedelow and senior Will Nolden, Cangelosi was at the plate with a chance to redeem the missed Hoosier opportunity.
Cangelosi came through with a 2-RBI triple that sailed inches above Iowa right fielder Joel Booker’s grasp. Cangelosi thought Booker was going to make the catch given his recent history.
“I haven’t had an extra base hit since Maryland two weeks ago so I was just praying for it to get out there,” Cangelos said. “It finally did.”
The throw to third then got past Iowa third baseman Nick Day, allowing Cangelosi to scramble to his feet and scamper home.
The triple was Cangelosi’s third extra base hit since Big Ten play began March 27 with a series at Iowa, a series the Hawkeyes swept.
The figurative final blow for the Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Tournament came in the third inning, when Iowa starting pitcher Calvin Matthews left a fastball and over the heart of the plate to freshman outfielder Logan Sowers.
Sowers sent that fastball sailing high into the air and deep into left field, before finally settling into the second deck of Target Field. The bases were also loaded, meaning Sowers’ second grand slam in the last week gave the Hoosiers a seven run lead.
“I didn’t even think it was a home run actually,” Sowers said. “I had squared up a ball yesterday where I thought it was gone and it didn’t go out. So I was running pretty hard actually.”
The Hoosier outburst at the plate was more than enough for Morris, who pitched six innings allowing two runs.
The start was the junior’s longest since he went five innings March 22 against Cal State Fullerton, and tied for his longest this season with a start February 28 against the College of Charleston, when he pitched six inning and allowed one run.
Iowa second baseman Jake Mangler said Morris did a good job locating all his pitches, and that none of the Hawkeyes could focus or sit on any particular pitch.
“In fastball counts every now and then he would throw a slider and stuff like that to keep us off balance,” Mangler said. “He threw a good game.”
Saturday, the Hoosiers will play at least one game against Maryland. If the Hoosiers win the first game, at 10 a.m. EST, the two teams will play again later Saturday night.
IU will start junior Caleb Baragar, a typical weekend starter, against the Terrapins.
“He’s a guy who’s started every weekend for us this year and beat Maryland a couple weeks ago in a great outing,” Lemonis said. “We still have him available and our bullpen’s pretty fresh so I like where we’re at.”
