DES MOINES, Iowa – The University of Iowa baseball team fell to No. 10 Oregon State, 9-6, on Friday night at Principal Park.

The Hawkeyes hit .270 and totaled nine hits to the Beavers’ 10. Nine Hawkeyes were left on base.

“Our offense, I was really proud of those guys,” said head coach Rick Heller. “The way Oregon State scored their runs early on a Friday night, a lot of teams would have went away and probably ended up in a 10-run rule or something, but we fought back.”

Oregon State (36-12) scored two unearned runs in the third and plated four more in the fourth. The Hawkeyes answered in the bottom of the fourth with three runs as Caleb Wulf singled in a run and Miles Risley batted in two.

Iowa (32-16, 21-6) cut its deficit in half in the fifth after Ben Wilmes doubled and scored on a Reese Moore single. The Hawkeyes knotted the game at six when Gable Mitchell hit a two-run bomb over the right-field wall in the seventh.

The Beavers took back the lead in the next frame, scoring three runs on a single and an error.

LHP Cade Obermueller started on the mound. He gave up three runs (two unearned) on three hits and struck out five.

“Cade’s errors I think got him going fast and took him out of his game. He wasn’t as sharp after that,” said Heller. “That one inning, it put us in a pinch because he was getting close to 36, 37 pitches, maybe even 40. It felt like we needed to take him out, but it’s Friday night, so you don’t want to take him out. But you also have to make sure he’s rested for next Thursday. Having to go to the bullpen against them that early was not in the plans.”

RHP Sam Hart was the first reliever out of the bullpen. He gave up three runs. Justin Hackett pitched for the next three innings, giving up zero runs on zero hits while striking out seven. Anthony Watts then entered the game and gave up Oregon State’s final three runs (two unearned). Chas Wheatley pitched in the ninth, giving up one hit and one walk while striking out three.

The Iowa pitching staff combined for 15 strikeouts and seven free bases.

“Tonight was the pitcher errors. You’re not going to overcome three pitcher errors and give up six runs against Oregon State. We eliminate those, we probably win 6-4,” said Heller. “You’re just not going to win if that happens against anybody.”

Up Next

The Hawkeyes and Beavers will continue the series with game two tomorrow at 3:35 p.m. (CDT) at Principal Park. RHP Aaron Savary will start on the hill for Iowa. He is 7-0 this season with a 3.36 ERA. The game will be broadcast on B1G+ and the Hawkeye Radio Network.