Rutgers avoided a sweep with a 10-4 win over Iowa in the series finale on Sunday. The Scarlet Knights tagged Iowa for nine runs over the game’s first four innings en route to the win.
Hawkeye sophomore starter Ty Langenberg faced just eight batters and was chased by Rutgers in the second inning. After Iowa jumped out to a 1-0 lead behind redshirt senior Izaya Fullard’s RBI single, Rutgers quickly responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the first.
Ryan Lasko got it started for the Scarlet Knights in the first with a leadoff double. Danny DiGeorgio’s RBI single plated Lasko. Josh Kuroda-Grauer then delivered a shot to left that one-hopped the wall for a double to score DiGeorgio. Tony Santa Maria brought home Chris Brito with an RBI groundout to stake Rutgers to an early 3-1 edge.
DiGeorgio added a two-run double to right center in the second to bring Cameron Love and Andy Axelson home and Rutgers was quickly in front 5-1. Fullard added another RBI for the Hawkeyes with his single to score sophomore Will Mulflur in the top of the third, but Rutgers responded in the bottom half of the third with Axelson’s double down the left field line to plate Mike Nyisztor and put the Scarlet Knights back in front by four runs, 6-2.
Iowa’s Sam Petersen scored a run on a Rutgers balk in the top of the fourth, but the Scarlet Knights worked themselves out of danger to strand a pair of Hawkeyes and keep the score, 6-3.
Then, in the bottom of the fourth, Rutgers added three more runs to break things open. With runners on the corners, Rutgers’ Chris Brito broke for second base. After Iowa threw to second base, DiGeorgio broke from third base, stole home and both runners were safe. Kuroda-Grauer then singled to score Brito and Santa Maria followed with an RBI triple to make it 9-3.