Hawkeyes' bubble bursts
Iowa’s postseason chances had been declining the last couple of weeks, as the Hawkeyes were 2-4 in their last six games coming into the day. Maybe you could see it coming, maybe not, but today’s loss almost certainly ends Iowa’s chances of making the NCAA Tournament. A 23-18 record, with late series losses to Illinois and Northwestern will do that to you.
Northwestern went with a bullpen day, but ‘starter’ Anthony Alepra struggled, hitting two batters and issuing a walk in the top of the first inning. However, he wiggled out of trouble getting Matthew Sosa to fly out to end the inning.
“We had opportunities to do that and didn’t get the job done. We didn’t execute at times that hurt us,” said Coach Heller.
Duncan Davitt was on the mound to start the must win game for Iowa, but the Cats came out swinging right away. Shawn Goosenberg got things underway, with a solo home run and Michael Trautwein followed up a Stephen Hrustich single, with a home run of his own. After one inning, Iowa trailed 3-0.
Leo Kaplan got in on the home run party in the second inning, with a solo shot to put Northwestern up 4-0 and Davitt would leave the game two batters later. Will Semb would settle things down in the third and fourth innings to give Iowa a chance to chip into the Cats lead.
Iowa did just that getting on the board in the fourth with an RBI single from Brett McCleary, cutting the lead to 4-1. Michael Seegers would bring in a second run with a groundout and Ben Norman would follow with an RBI double to right field. The Hawkeyes plated three runs in the inning and Northwestern’s lead was just one run.
The Cats answered in the fifth inning, with another two-run home run from Michael Trautwein. This one put Northwestern up 6-3. However, in the top of the sixth, the Hawkeyes would fight back. Matthew Sosa and Brayden Frazier would reach on singles before a Coby Moe balk brought in Sosa. Ben Norman later delivered his second RBI double, cutting the Cats lead to 6-5.
Drew Irvine came in for Iowa in relief of Will Semb and was fantastic for three innings. He would strike out five Northwestern batters and allow just two baserunners, giving Iowa a great shot to tie things up.
In the seventh, with Peyton Williams on third base, Austin Martin lined a ball right off the pitcher Coby Moe and the ball deflected into foul territory, allowing Williams to score. The game headed to the eighth tied 6-6. In the eighth, Iowa loaded the bases on a hit, walk and error, but Trenton Wallace flew out to end the threat.
They teetered on the brink, but we never got the big hit and let them off the hook in the first inning with a bad at-bat. We had the right guys up so many times during the course of the game to break it open and they didn’t come through. That’s the story,” said Coach Heller, as he reflected on the loss postgame.
The game headed to the bottom of the ninth, tied at 6 and things were pretty simply laid out. Extra innings or postseason hopes gone. Drew Irvine would strikeout Tony Livermore, but walked Anthony Calarco, with one out. Shawn Goosenberg came up next and delivered, with his second home run of the game, giving the Cats a walk-off 8-6 win.
Coach Heller has harped limiting free bases all season, but Northwestern hit today. “We could have pitched better, but we didn’t walk guys, didn’t commit errors, didn’t give up free bases – we gave up one free base and lost. That doesn’t happen.”
Down the final stretch of the season, the Hawkeyes fell apart and their watched their postseason hopes disappear, but it’s not due to having the wrong mindset. All I heard from the players and Coach Heller the last month was how they were focusing on one game, one play, one practice at a time, but it did not pan out in the team’s favor. Why that is? I am not sure and I’m not sure Coach Heller knows right now either.
Despite the disappointing end, it should be noted that since Coach Heller’s arrival Iowa has been in the NCAA Tournament discussion almost every season. So, even if they don’t always make an NCAA appearance, it is a territory that Iowa Baseball was not in prior to Heller’s arrival.
The Hawkeyes will look to finish the season on a strong note next week on the road vs Michigan State.
Notes
- Izaya Fullard extended his on-base streak to 24 games
- Iowa left seven baserunners in scoring position
- Northwestern hit five home runs