Iowa pitcher Marcus Morgan. (Iowa Baseball Twitter)
Iowa Baseball Wins Regional Opener
Iowa Baseball leaned into a formula that's worked throughout the season in Friday night's NCAA Regional opener. The Hawkeyes employed it to knock off North Carolina, 5-4, at Bob Warn Field in Terre Haute, Ind.
Strong starting pitching, stingy relief (mostly), slick defense and timely hitting propelled second-seeded Iowa to the victory. It advanced to play host Indiana State Saturday (5 p.m. CT). The top-seeded Sycamores came from behind to top Wright State, 6-5, Friday.
Coach Rick Heller came to Iowa after four seasons at Indiana State.
“It’s going to be a good battle. Indiana State is a very good team,” he said. “I watched them play today. Their kids play hard and believe in one another and found a way to come back like they did today.
"Now, it’s both of us going to battle doing everything we can possibly do to win this next game. Both teams will be as prepared as anyone out there. It should be a really good game in a great environment with a lot of people watching.”
The Hawkeyes (43-14) were playing in their first regional since 2017 and sixth overall. They've won one (1972).
North Carolina made things interesting in the top of the ninth inning. The Tar Heels (35-23) scored three times off of Will Christophersen and had the go-ahead run on second base with one out. Luke Llewellyn shut the door, however, earning his fourth save this season.
Iowa added a pair of important insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Brayden Frazier's single scored Michael Seegers. A Cade Moss bunt plated Kyle Huckstorf.
Sophomore right-hander Marcus Morgan (5-2) picked up the win on the mound for Hawkeyes. The Iowa City native allowed a run on two hits and four walks with five strikeouts in the game's first five innings.
“I think Marcus showed his maturity,” Heller said. “Even though there were a couple of baserunners. I didn’t really feel like he was losing it, I felt like he had good stuff and was around the zone. He was throwing competitive pitches.
"The big thing Marcus was able to do tonight was put zeroes up and get shutdown innings after we scored. It has been a work in progress, but I really like where he is at and the progress he’s made in the last month.”
Stopper Jack Whitlock stepped on the hill in the sixth and tossed three scoreless frames. He yielded two hits and a walk while striking out two.
Freshman Gable Mitchell was inserted late in the game as a defensive replacement. He came through with a few stellar plays at second base.
Iowa struck first with a pair of runs in the first inning. Sam Hojnar's two-out double scored Sam Petersen and Brennen Dorighi.
The Hawkeyes extended their lead to 3-0 in the second when Ben Wilmes' single plated Brayden Frazier with one out. They held that advantage until North Carolina scored a run in the fourth.
Iowa played its 14th game in a row without four players suspended during a gambling investigation. The group included All-American DH/P Keaton Anthony (.389 BA, 9 HR).
NOTES
-The Hawkeyes are one win away from tying the program wins record set in 1981.
- Iowa moves to 8-11 in NCAA tournament play. The Hawkeyes are now 3-3 in the opening game in the NCAA tournament.
- The Hawkeyes have scored five or more runs in every win this season.
- This was Iowa's fifth one-run game of the season; Iowa is 4-1 in those games.
- Hojnar picked up his 16th multi-RBI game of the season.