The day started with pouring rain and a ten-minute delay of the opening pitch, but the damp weather did not dampen the excitement on this Friday afternoon game in Piscataway. The game was touted as a pitcher’s duel between Trenton Wallace and Harry Rutkowski, but that did not pan out as the Hawkeyes rallied late for a wild 14-12 victory.

Iowa hopped on the board right away with a Ben Norman home run on the second pitch of the game, to put the Hawks up 1-0. Rutgers would battle back in the 2nd inning, with a two-run double from Kevin Welsh and take the 2-1 lead. The Hawks continued to hit Rutkowski in the 3rd inning, when Dylan Nedved kept his streak going with an RBI double to tie the game at 2 apiece. Zeb Adreon kept the scoring going with a single through the shift to bring in two runs and Iowa led 4-2.

Wallace struggled with walks all day, walking six total, but none hurt more than the two that preceded a Ryan Lasko home run in the 4th inning. The Lasko home run was his seventh of the season and put the Scarlet Knights up 5-4. Wallace would go four innings, allowing five runs on just four hits, but the six walks got him out of the ballgame early.

Iowa battled back in the top of the 5th inning, with three straight baserunners to begin the inning, including a Dylan Nedved bloop single to tie the game at 5 all. Rutkowski would leave the game for Nate McLain, who walked just his second batter of the season with the bases loaded. McLain was able to roll a bases loaded 6-4-3 double play ball to end the Hawkeye threat, but Iowa led 6-5.

Ty Langenberg came in for the bottom of the 5th and had a rough start when Danny DiGeorgio took him deep to tie the game at 6. Then in the 6th, Langenberg would depart after allowing the first two batters to get on and Trace Hoffman came in. Hoffman would struggle in the inning, starting with a bases loaded walk to put Rutgers back on top, 7-6. A sacrifice fly would get another Scarlet Knights run across and then Kevin Welsh came up big again, this time with a two-run single. Rutgers would score four runs in the 6th inning and it seemed like they had a firm grasp on the game. Not to worry the scoring is only just starting.

Austin Martin would lead off the 8th inning with a triple past the diving Richie Schiekofer in right field and then would score on a wild pitch later in the inning to cut the lead to 10-7. However, Dale Stanavich would strand two Hawkeye baserunners, retiring Fullard and Williams to end the 8th.

Trace Hoffman settled in after his rocky start and retired seven straight Rutgers batters to give Iowa a longshot chance going into the 9th. Iowa needed a rally and they had it in them. Closer Kyle Muller came in for Rutgers and got the first out before walking two Hawkeye batters. Austin Martin would single to center field to load the bases, but Brett McCleary would strike out looking for the second out of the inning. With two outs, Brendan Sher kept the rally going with a two-run single past the outstretched glove of Welsh at second base. Iowa trailed 10-9, with Ben Norman coming to the plate and that was all for Kyle Muller.

Parker Scott would come in and hit Norman with a pitch to load the bases once again. Then down to his last strike, Izaya Fullard came up clutch with a go-ahead two-run single up the middle, to put Iowa on top 11-10. Peyton Williams would follow with a triple that just tipped off the glove of Lasko in center field. Two-runs scored on that play and then Williams would come across on a Dylan Nedved single.

When the dust settled, Iowa led 14-10, scoring seven runs on five hits and were down to their last strike twice.

Dylan Nedved would take the mound to try to end the game, but Rutgers put together a rally of their own. A hit batter and a pinch hit double from Grant Shulman started the rally. With one out Mike Nyisztor would reach on an infield single that scored a run. Nedved was able to bear down and get a fly out from the ever so dangerous Ryan Lasko, for the second out of the inning. It was 14-12 and Rutgers had one runner on, but Nedved got Chris Brito to ground out and all Iowa fans could take a deep breath.

The Hawkeyes never gave up and were able to extend their win streak to five and is not nine wins in ten games. Everyone go get some food, get some sleep and recover because the Hawkeyes take the field tomorrow for a doubleheader at 10am and 2pm vs the same Rutgers squad.