Six first inning runs proved to be enough for the Hawkeyes, as they took down San Diego State in a midweek game to conclude their trip to the west coast. Iowa was able to hold on by a score of 6-4, after the offense failed to score over the last eight innings.

18 pitchers took the mound during the game, while ten of them were for the Hawkeyes. Duncan Davitt threw a pair of scoreless innings to begin the game and Casey Day closed it out in the ninth inning.

The teams combined to strikeout 33 times, including 20 by the Iowa pitchers, while there were a combined 24 runners left on base. Iowa was 5/27 (.185) with runners on base and 0/9 (.000) with two outs. San Diego State wasn’t much better, going 7/25 (.280) with runners on base and 1/10 (.100) with two outs.

The Aztecs had Cole Carrigg on the mound for his first pitching appearance of the season and the Hawkeyes jumped on him in the opening frame. Peyton Williams put Iowa on top 3-0 before an out was recorded with a three-run blast. Later in the inning, Kyle Huckstorf drove in a run with a single to make it 4-0, while Brett McCleary made it 6-0 with a two-run double. From then on, the Hawkeyes couldn’t get a run across the plate, despite opportunities to add on.

The Aztecs got on the board in the fifth inning off of Chas Wheatley. An RBI double from Tyler Glowacki cut the lead to 6-2, but Ben Beutel came in out of the bullpen and recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.

Caden Miller drove in a run in the eighth with an infield single to make it 6-3. Then in the ninth, Tyler Glowacki made it 6-4 with an RBI double, but Casey Day was able to get a strikeout and groundout to end the game.

Peyton Williams was the standout, going 4/4 with three singles and a home run, as well as a hit by pitch. Brett McCleary reached base three times with a pair of hits, while three other batters reached base twice. Keaton Anthony had his 14-game reached base streak snapped, as he went 0/5.

Duncan Davitt went 2.0 scoreless innings to kick off the game, striking out five, while allowing one hit and walking one. Ben Beutel and Ben DeTaeye each had solid scoreless outings.

With the win, the Hawkeyes move to 8-7 on the season, with a huge series looming this weekend. Iowa will welcome the #15 Texas Tech Red Raiders to Duane Banks Field for a three-game weekend series. The first game of the weekend is set for Friday at 4:05pm and will be streamed on BTN+.