By Tommy Lang

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The wind, flurries and temperatures in the upper 30’s and lower 40’s might have been perfect weather for a Black Friday football game at Kinnick Stadium.

But on Saturday, the same weather conditions were the backdrop for the Iowa baseball team’s 8-0 win over Nebraska Saturday at Duane Banks Field.

The Hawkeyes used six shutout innings from starting pitcher Marcus Morgan to win Game 2 of the three-game series with the Cornhuskers. The Hawkeyes won Game 1 on Friday, 11-6.

It was Morgan’s fourth quality start in a row, and the longest outing of his career.

“A lot of pitches were going for me today, ” the Iowa City West graduate said after the game. “I was able to execute, and the guys made plays behind me all day.”

Morgan added that he threw his changeup more than usual once he realized the Husker batters were having trouble picking it up.

“(I was) getting a lot of strikeouts that way…and weak contact,” Morgan said.

The sophomore right-hander finished the day with five strikeouts and one walk, giving up just three hits. He’s now 2-1 on the season.

Aaron Savary and Chas Wheatley combined to pitch the final three shutout innings.

The Iowa offense had Morgan’s back with four runs in the first four innings, including a three-run third inning that was led by a two-run Ben Wilmes home run.

Third-baseman Raider Tello had three runs batted in, leading the team on the day.

“You’re just trying to work to the big part of the field,” Tello said. “A lot of damage could be done…especially with the wind blowing out to right field.”

The four-run sixth inning included a two-run Tello double, who also had hit a solo home run in the previous inning.

“It’s all about stringing at-bats together and passing the baton to the next guy,” Tello explained. “It’s just all about us being there for the guy next to us and getting the next guy his next at-bat.”

The Hawkeyes would sweep Nebraska with a win on Sunday.

The Cornhuskers led the conference at the beginning of the weekend, and now trail both Indiana and Michigan. Iowa has moved up to sixth place with the two wins.

Iowa head coach Rick Heller said his team executed his gameplan perfectly.

“We couldn’t have drawn it up any better,” Heller said. “Marty Sutherland, our hitting coach, does a tremendous job with our scout and our plan…I thought our guys executed the plan against the guys we’ve seen based on what Marty had them ready for, and they’ve excuted really well the last two days.”

Many of the estimated 1,027 fans made the trip across the parking lot after the Iowa football team’s spring open practice at Kinnick Stadium, which may have been reflected in the rambunctious crowd.

High school classmates of Iowa right fielder Sam Peterson were particularly rowdy, cheering and booing every strike or ball over the final innings.

“We’re just here to support our friend Petey!” one of the Huxley High School graduates told Hawkfanatic.

Iowa improves to 28-10 on the season, 6-5 in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes go for the sweep Sunday afternoon at 1:05. Ty Langenberg (3-2) will get the start for Iowa. Heller speculated Will Walsh would start for Nebraska.