It’s Iowa-North Carolina part two. This time, everything is on the line in an elimination game.
Iowa opened its sixth all-time NCAA Tournament appearance by topping North Carolina, 5-4, to move into the winners’ bracket.
The Hawkeyes jumped in front with a two-run double from redshirt junior Sam Hojnar in the first. Iowa added a run in the second on sophomore Ben Wilmes’ RBI single to build a 3-0 lead.
Behind a strong start from sophomore Marcus Morgan and a good relief appearance from sophomore Jack Whitlock, Iowa led 3-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth. The Hawkeyes added a pair of insurance runs on redshirt junior Brayden Frazier’s RBI single and junior Cade Moss’ sacrifice bunt.
Those two runs proved pivotal once everything went sideways on redshirt junior reliever Will Christophersen in the ninth. Fortunately, redshirt junior Luke Llewellyn came in and struck out UNC’s Tomas Frick and Hunter Stokely to lock down the win and earn the save.
It looked like Iowa (43-15, 15-8 Big Ten) was on its way to the regional championship Saturday night, too. Leading Indiana State, 4-2, the Hawkeyes needed six outs to advance in the winners’ bracket and sit a victory away from the super regionals.
Instead, more bullpen troubles emerged for the Hawkeyes as the Sycamores once again conjured eighth-inning magic in the Terre Haute Regional. Indiana State plated five runs off Iowa redshirt senior Jared Simpson and Llewellyn, and the Sycamores handed the Hawkeyes a 7-4 loss.
That brings us to the rematch Sunday morning. Here’s when and where fans can tune into the Hawkeyes against the Tar Heels (36-23, 14-14 ACC). Plus, some game notes.