By Hawkeyesports.com

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa baseball team defeated Indiana, 13-2, in seven innings to clinch the series win at Duane Banks Field on Saturday afternoon. It is the Hawkeyes’ eighth Big Ten series win and 30th overall victory this season.

It is the 10th time in the Rick Heller era that the Hawkeyes have won 30 or more games. Iowa (30-12, 19-4) has had 30 or more wins in each of the “non-COVID” seasons under Heller (2020 and 2021 were altered because of the pandemic). Iowa’s 19-4 Big Ten record marks the program’s best start in conference play since 1990.

The Iowa offense totaled nine hits and batted .360 overall to Indiana’s .292.

“I thought the offense was outstanding today,” said Heller. “If you were going to draw it up, that was what our offense needed to do. I thought we executed our plan at an extremely high level today. One through nine, everybody was just riding him out and laying off the edges.”

Freshman Jaixen Frost gave the Hawkeyes the lead in the second inning with a two-run shot, his second of the season. Iowa added on to its lead in the third frame as redshirt sophomore Reese Moore and junior Miles Risley each hit RBI groundouts.

“Jaixen Frost had a really good game and got us started with his home run,” said Heller.

The Hawkeyes extended their lead to seven in the fourth. With the bases loaded, senior Ben Wilmes knocked a two RBI single up the middle, and then junior Gable Mitchell brought in a run with a SAC bunt.

Indiana scored two runs in the fifth, but the Hawkeyes turned a double play to limit the inning. Iowa answered with a run in the sixth to make it, 8-2. Wilmes hit a grand slam in the bottom of the seventh to put Iowa ahead by 11 and send Hawkeye fans home early. It marked Wilmes’s sixth home run of the season, a new career-high.

Wilmes led the offense, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a career-high six RBIs.

“When we needed a ground ball to get a run in, we got it. We got bunts down,” said Heller. “I was really pleased with how we showed up today and the way we played after last night’s game ended. There was no celebration hangover.”

Junior Aaron Savary started on the hill and earned his seventh win of the season. He fanned five over the first two innings and ended with six total strikeouts. He gave up two runs on seven hits and walked one batter through 6 2/3 innings of work.

“Aaron pitched another gem,” said Heller. “He almost went a full seven innings against that offense, and that’s really impressive.”

Daniel Wright entered in relief and recorded the final out of the seventh.

Up Next

The Hawkeyes and Hoosiers (23-20, 12-11) will close out the series tomorrow with game three. First pitch is set for 1:02 p.m. (CDT) at Duane Banks Field. The game will be broadcast on B1G+ and the Hawkeye Radio Network.