By Hawkeyesports.com

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The University of Iowa baseball team trounced Rutgers, 16-0, in seven innings to even the series at Bainton Field on Saturday afternoon.

Iowa had an electric performance at the plate, hitting six home runs in the win, the most since 2018 against Missouri when the Hawkeyes hit seven.

“It was a fun day for the offense,” said head coach Rick Heller. “Our guys bounced back with great effort after a tough loss yesterday.”

Redshirt junior Jackson Beaman got the home run party started with a solo shot in the fourth inning before hitting a three-run bomb in the fifth. Junior Miles Risley and redshirt sophomore Ben Swails then hit back-to-back homers in the sixth. Senior Ben Wilmes followed with a two-run shot to left field to put the Hawkeyes ahead, 15-0. Junior Blake Guerin hit his third home run in the last four games with a dinger to left center in the seventh.

Freshman Jaixen Frost, redshirt sophomore Reese Moore, redshirt junior Caleb Wulf, senior Mitch Wood, Beaman and Gable Mitchell each recorded multi-hit games and scored at least one run. The Hawkeyes batted .472 with 17 total hits and recorded eight RBIs with two outs. That marks the highest team batting average and hit total in a game for the Hawkeyes this season.

“Our guys came out ready to play today,” said Heller. “It was a great team effort with 10 different Hawkeyes getting hits.”

Junior Aaron Savary got the start and the win on the mound for Iowa to improve to 3-0 this season. He gave up zero runs on just three hits and struck out six Scarlet Knights through five innings of work. 

“Aaron Savary gave us the start we needed on the mound,” said Heller. “He worked out of some traffic early and really settled in.”

Senior Sam Hart and junior Justin Hackett came out of the bullpen and pitched one inning each. They each struck out two batters, helping Iowa secure its third shutout this season.

UP NEXT

The Hawkeyes and Scarlet Knights continue the three-game series with the rubber match tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. (CT). Right-hander Reece Beuter will start on the mound for the Hawkeyes. The game will be streamed on B1G+ and available on the Hawkeye Radio Network.