May 17, 2018
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IOWA CITY, Iowa ââ'¬" A bloop double in the eighth inning drove home the go-ahead run for Iowa in a 3-1 win over Penn State in Big Ten baseball action Thursday evening on Banks Field.
The loss snapped Penn State's (15-32, 3-19 Big Ten) three-game winning streak and spoiled a strong outing for freshman pitcher Bailey Dees (Charlotte, N.C.) Dees was undeterred by NCAA Regional-contending Iowa (31-18, 11-9 Big Ten), as he threw a career-high five shutout innings in his first career Big Ten start. He scattered three hits and four walks and struck out six, with two of the hits coming in his final inning. The Hawkeyes were able to work deep counts though, running his pitch count up to a career-high 91 pitches.
All of the scoring took place in the sixth inning and after. The game was tied 1-1, entering the bottom of the eighth, but LHP Taylor Lehman (Pittsburgh, Pa.) yielded a leadoff walk to shortstop Kyle Crowl ââ'¬" who walked four times on the night - and then after an out, left fielder Ben Norman sliced a bloop double just inside the line in left field, and it kicked into foul territory, allowing Crowl to score all the way from first with ease. First baseman Chris Whelan then drove home Crowl with his game-high third hit of the night.
An error in the sixth inning led to Iowa taking a 1-0 lead, but Penn State answered in the top of the eighth. With one out, center fielder Jordan Bowersox (Winter Springs, Fla.) doubled down the left field line and catcher Ryan Sloniger (Punxsutawney, Pa.) followed with a base-hit to center, driving home Bowersox who beat the throw home.
The Nittany Lions outhit the Hawkeyes, 7-6, with Bowersox, Sloniger and designated hitter Joe Weisenseel (Strongsville, Ohio) all posting two-hit games.
Countering Dees on the mound for Iowa was LHP Nick Allgeyer (6-4) who blanked the Nittany Lions through the first seven innings with six strikeouts and just four hits and two walks allowed. RHP Zach Daniels (6-1) yielded the lead in the eighth but nothing else, earning the win and striking out four in two innings of work.
Penn State will continue the series Friday at 7:05 p.m. ET and Saturday's game will be televised live on ESPNU starting at 7:30 p.m.
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Notes: Jordan Bowersox posted his team-leading 15th multi-hit game of the season … Joe Weisenseel posted his third consecutive multi-hit game … It was Penn State's 23rd game of the season (48.9 percent) decided by two runs or less.