UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The University of Iowa baseball team dropped the final game of a three-game set at Penn State on Sunday, falling 7-4 at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
The Nittany Lions (10-25, 2-10) claimed the series with the victory, as they won the opener, 8-7, on Saturday.
The Hawkeyes (14-20, 3-9) scored the game’s first two runs in the top of the third inning, using three hits to take 2-0 lead. Sophomore Eric Toole opened the frame with a single, and advanced to second after classmate Kris Goodman grounded out. Sophomore Jake Yacinich followed with a walk, bringing junior Keith Brand to the plate with runners on first and second with one out.
Brand delivered an RBI single to right center field that scored Toole and advanced Yacinich to third base. Senior Dan Sheppard plated Yacinich in the next at-bat, hitting a run-scoring single to right field. The Hawkeyes squandered a chance to score more runs in the inning, as they left the bases loaded for a second straight frame.
Penn State answered with two runs of its own, tying the score 2-2. Steve Snyder drove in the first run with an RBI ground out, before J.C. Coban plated the second with an RBI single.
The Nittany Lions broke the 2-2 tie in the bottom of the fifth, scoring four runs on four hits. Taylor Skerpon and Coban each hit two-run doubles in the frame, giving Penn State a 6-2 advantage.
The Hawkeyes got one run back in their half the sixth, closing the deficit to 6-3. With two outs and runners on second and third, Toole singled to left field to score sophomore Anthony Torres. Iowa once again had a chance to put more runs on the board, as Toole advanced to second base after a Penn State error, placing runners on second and third. PSU reliever Cody Lewis worked out of the jam, inducing a Goodman fly out to end the inning.
Penn State tacked on a run in the bottom of the sixth via a J.J. White RBI double, stretching the lead to 7-3.
The Hawkeyes pushed their final run of the contest across the plate in the top of the eighth, as Toole tallied his third hit and second RBI of the contest by hitting a run-scoring single to left field. It was Toole’s first multi-RBI game of the season, and the third of his Hawkeye career.
Penn State starting pitcher Greg Welch was credited with the win after allowing three runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings. Lewis picked up the save, his second of the year, after tossing 3 1/3 innings. He allowed one run on two hits.
Sophomore Sasha Kuebel was handed the loss, falling to 1-8 this season. Kuebel allowed five runs on seven hits over five innings. Fellow sophomore Nick Hibbing relieved Kuebel, holding PSU to one run on two hits in three innings of work.
Toole, Brand, and Sheppard provided seven of Iowa’s eight hits. Toole finished the day 3-of-5 at the plate, while Brand and Sheppard both had two-hit efforts. Sophomore Jake Mangler was the only other Hawkeye to record a hit.
The Hawkeyes return to action April 23-24, hosting a pair of mid-week games at Duane Banks Field. Iowa will play Creighton on Tuesday and Northern Illinois on Wednesday. Both games will begin at 6:05 p.m. (CT).
