The Iowa Hawkeyes had their chances early, but, ultimately, it was just the Maryland Terrapins’ day.
Maryland used a pair of fifth-inning homers to open up the scoring and eventually top the Hawkeyes, 4-0, in the 2023 Big Ten Baseball Tournament’s championship game.
Maryland’s Kevin Keister lifted a 2-1 pitch from Iowa’s Jack Whitlock past the left field fence for a two-run shot to get the scoring started in the fifth. Several batters later, Nick Lorusso also sent a home run out to left to make it 3-0 Terps.
Jacob Orr added an RBI single to left center in the sixth to plate Eddie Hacopian for the game’s final run.
Though Whitlock surrendered those two homers in the fifth, it looked earlier like he was set to be the hero for Iowa again. Called upon with the bases loaded in the third, Whitlock slammed the door shut to keep the game scoreless at that point when he sat down Ian Petrutz swinging on just three pitches.
Alas, Iowa just never totally found the offense in this one. It looked like the Hawks were about to get off to a great start, too.
Iowa started with a Sam Petersen walk and a Brennen Dorighi single in the first with just one away. Maryland’s Ryan Van Buren left those two stranded for the Hawks after Raider Tello lined out to right and Sam Hojnar grounded out to second.
The Hawkeyes got two more runners aboard in the second off one-out singles from Kyle Huckstorf and Brayden Frazier, but that threat was once again averted after Van Buren got Cade Moss and Ben Wilmes to fly out.
In the third, Tello doubled with two outs off new Maryland pitcher Andrew Johnson, but then Hojnar struck out looking to end the inning.
Iowa’s best threat then came in the fourth. Michael Seegers and Huckstorf both walked to start the inning. Another scoring chance went by the wayside after Frazier grounded into a double play and then Moss grounded out to second.
Iowa didn’t have another base runner until Frazier’s seventh-inning walk. Moss grounded into a double play where the Terps stepped on first base and then threw down to second base in time to tag out Frazier and end another Hawkeye chance.
Tello led off the ninth with a single, but a Hojnar strikeout and Seegers hitting into one final double play ended it.
Naturally, Hawkeye fans were disappointed that a second all-time Big Ten Tournament title instead went to Maryland. Here were the best live reactions and a tip of the cap to a great Iowa tourney run.
Plus, believe it or not, a couple of Hawkeye highlights as well.
[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]