Skip to main content
iowa logo

Hawkeyes lose a lead, fall to Oregon on Friday night

On3 imageby:Kyle Huesmann•05/16/25•

HuesmannKyle

The Hawkeyes fell to Oregon on Friday night at Duane Banks Field. (Photo by Dennis Scheidt)
The Hawkeyes fell to Oregon on Friday night at Duane Banks Field. (Photo by Dennis Scheidt)

Devastating, crushing, painful, gut-wrenching; all words that describe Friday night at Duane Banks Field. A program record 3,339 fans piled into the stands (and beyond) hoping to see the Hawkeyes clinch a share of their first Big Ten title since 1990. However, a four-run top of the seventh was the difference and Oregon came up with a 9-6 win in game two of the series.

“Turned it over to the bullpen with a 6-3 lead going into the seventh. It needs to be over,” said head coach Rick Heller. “They didn’t get it done and gave up six runs in the last three innings. You’re not going to win, especially against a team like that.”

With the loss, the Hawkeyes fall to 32-19-1 on the season and 21-8 in Big Ten play. Iowa has now won just one of their last nine games and have dropped three consecutive series.

Players of the Game

  • 2B Caleb Wulf: Wulf reached base three times, tallying two hits, two RBI’s and two runs scored, including his first career home run at Iowa.
  • RHP Aaron Savary: Savary gave a solid start, allowing three runs on seven hits over 5.2 innings. He struck out two and walked one.

Oregon, like in game one, wastes no time getting on the scoreboard

Game two of the series got off to a good start, with Aaron Savary retiring the first two batters of the game, but the first inning still had a similar result to the series opener. Jacob Walsh reached with a two-out double, while Drew Smith drove in a run with an RBI single for the second consecutive night, putting Oregon on top 1-0 before the Hawkeyes got an at-bat.

It’s the first time since the series finale of the Michigan series and the midweek against Western Illinois that Iowa has allowed a first inning run in back-to-back games.

Hawkeyes get the bats going, take the lead with a three-run third inning

After Oregon got on the board in the first inning, starter Collin Clarke tossed a pair of scoreless innings to begin his outing. He worked around a pair of free bases in the first and then worked a quick 1-2-3 inning in the second inning.

Finally, in the third inning, the Hawkeyes got to the Ducks pitching staff for the first time in the series. After Andy Nelson reached on a hit by pitch, Reese Moore punched a double the opposite way just inside the left field line, putting two in scoring position with no outs. A sac fly from Gable Mitchell got Iowa on the board, but there was more to come. Caleb Wulf put the Hawkeyes in front with an RBI infield single, followed by a Miles Risley RBI double later in the inning to stretch the lead to 3-1 after three innings.

The three-run third inning came with four hits, which was double the total that they had in game one of the series facing Oregon ace Grayson Grinsell.

“It was good to see the bats wake up today,” said Heller. “The game started out similar to the way it did yesterday and then we started to get it going. Eight guys had hits tonight and some home runs, some power. It was a real good sign to see that.”

Back-to-back home runs in the fifth gives Iowa a 6-2 lead

Leading 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth, the Hawkeyes came to the plate looking to answer after a mammoth solo home run from Jacob Walsh cut into the advantage. The answer came quickly and swiftly.

On the second pitch of the inning, facing a 1-0 count, Caleb Wulf took Ducks starter Collin Clarke over the wall in right field for his first career home run in the black and gold. In the ensuing at-bat, Daniel Rogers made it back-to-back solo home runs, depositing a second ball over the wall in right field to give Iowa a 6-2 lead.

Aaron Savary hands the game to the bullpen, Oregon plates four in the seventh to take the lead

Oregon added another run via the long ball in the sixth, getting a solo home run from Anson Aroz, but Aaron Savary gave a really good effort on the mound, putting the Hawkeyes in a position to even the series at a game apiece. Although Savary went 1-2-3 in just one of six innings, which may have cut his outing a bit short, he never allowed a big number to be put on the board.

Aaron allowed three runs on seven hits over 5.2 innings, including two strikeouts to two free bases. He threw 57 of his 87 (65.5%) pitches for strikes.

“I thought Savary was really good tonight. I thought he may end up going another inning, but really happy to see him bounce back today and give us a legitimate chance to win,” said Heller. “He showed a lot of toughness bouncing back after a rough one last week.”

In the seventh, things started to take a turn. With Brant Hogue on the mound, Mason Neville doubled to lead off the inning, followed by a hit by pitch and an RBI double from Jacob Walsh to cut the Iowa lead to 6-4 with nobody out. Rick Heller emerged from the dugout and called on Justin Hackett from the bullpen.

Upon entering the game, Hackett got Drew Smith to hit one on the ground to the left side, but it glanced off the glove of a diving Jaixen Frost for an RBI infield single. The lead was still intact at 6-5, but Oregon had two on, with no outs. After an Anson Aroz sac bunt, Hackett got Maddox Molony to pop out, putting the Hawkeyes one pitch away from escaping the inning with the lead.

Chase Meggers came to the plate and quickly fell behind 1-2 in the count. After a couple of foul balls, Hackett delivered an off-speed pitch that painted the bottom part of the zone (Trackman confirms), but he didn’t get the call from home plate umpire Tim Cordill. The at-bat ended in a walk, and it came back to hurt in a big way, as Ryan Cooney delivered a two-run double to give Oregon a 7-6 lead going into the bottom of the seventh.

“I felt like we didn’t get a call that would have got us out of the inning and cost us two runs. That really hurts and misses like that in games like this are painful, but we need to better.”

Ducks add two in the ninth, Iowa brings the tying run to the plate, but fall short

Trailing 7-6 going to the ninth, Rick Heller turned to Chas Wheatley looking for a zero on the board to give the offense a chance to tie it or walk it off. Unfortunately, Oregon added to their lead. It wasn’t the bunt single from Anson Aroz or the walked issued to Maddox Molony that hurt. It was the passed ball and wild pitch that allowed Chase Meggers to lay down a perfect bunt single, giving the Ducks an 8-6 lead. A passed ball in the next at-bat allowed Molony to score, extending the lead to 9-6 and making the comeback even harder for Iowa in the bottom of the ninth.

“Disappointing because you felt like you had the right guys in line (out of the bullpen) and just didn’t get it done,” said Heller. “They’re a very good team, and they’re tough to pitch to, but there were few too many free bases and that’s always going to come back to haunt you.”

In the bottom of the ninth, the Hawkeyes tried to mount a rally. Oregon reliever Santiago Garcia issued a one out walked, which was followed by a single from Daniel Rogers. Ducks head coach Mark Wasikowski turned to closer Seth Mattox, and he was able to record the final outs, including getting pinch-hitter Mitch Wood to ground out to end the game.

What’s next for Rick Heller and Co?

“The message is pretty simple…we’ve got one more shot at this. One more chance to come out and find a way to get it done,” said Heller.

The Hawkeyes and Ducks will battle it out for at least a share of the marbles on Saturday afternoon at Duane Banks Field. It will be Jason Reitz for Oregon, while Reece Beuter is a game-time decision for Iowa. First pitch is set for 12:00pm CT on the Big Ten Network.

You may also like