April 29, 2017
| 2 | 4 |
| Duane Banks Field | Iowa City, Iowa | |
| POST GAME LINKS |
| Box Score |
| FINAL STATISTICS |
IOWA CITY, IOWA ââ'¬" Iowa hung on for a 4-2 victory over Penn State in the first game of a Big Ten baseball doubleheader Friday night. The second game is underway.
RHP Nick Gallagher (6-1) led Iowa (25-15, 7-6 B1G) with an eight-inning effort, striking out 10 and allowing just two runs (one earned) on three hits with no walks. RHP Josh Martsching (4) earned the save with a scoreless ninth.
Third baseman Logan Goodnight (Wheeling, W.Va.) and second baseman Christian Helsel (Altoona, Pa.) drove in the lone runs for Penn State (14-27, 2-11 B1G). RHP Sal Biasi (4-5) (Hazle Township, Pa.) was tagged with the loss, working three innings and allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and three walks with three strikeouts. Penn State had strong bullpen outings from LHP Taylor Lehman (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and RHP Dakota Forsyth (Bethel Park, Pa.), as Lehman allowed two runs (one earned) in two innings, and Forsyth pitched the final three innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three.
Catcher Tyler Cropley, outfielder Ben Norman and designated hitter Austin Guzzo both had two hit games for Iowa
Strong at-bats by the Hawkeyes in the second inning resulted in the game's first run. The first five in the inning all worked full counts, with lead-off batter Cropley working a walk, advancing to third on a single and scoring on a single to center by Guzzo. The Hawkeyes added an unearned run in the third and fourth innings for a 3-0 lead before Penn State got on the board in the fifth.
The Nittany Lions took advantage of a dropped fly ball in the top of the fifth, as shortstop Conlin Hughes (Holly Springs, N.C.) reached second on what should have been a fly out. He then advanced to third on a groundout, before Goodnight drove him home with a single down the left field line.
A sacrifice fly by third baseman Matt Hoeg in the bottom half of the fifth gave Iowa a three-run lead again, but Penn State again pulled within two in the very next frame as centerfielder Mason Nadeau (Lansdale, Pa.) hit his first career triple and was then driven home by Helsel.
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