HOUSTON – Junior
Matthew McCollough tossed his second complete game of the season to power the HBU baseball team passed Iowa in a 5-1 victory at Husky Field on Sunday afternoon.
McCollough scattered four hits and one run in going the distance for the Huskies (9-9). The native of Katy, Texas, walked none and fanned three on 101 pitches across 30 batters faced. McCollough retired the side six times, faced one over the minimum in two innings and five batters once.
Junior
Austin Saenz delivered what later proved to be the game-winning runs, launching a two-run home run down the left field line in the bottom of the second inning, his first of the season.
Senior
Zach Nehrir and junior Brandon Morones both turned in 2-for-4 efforts with a run scored against Iowa (10-4).
Samm Wiggins went 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored, while Greg Espinosa and
Thomas Clay also hit safely.
After silent opening frames from both teams, the Hawkeyes used small-ball tactics to plate their lone run of the game in the top of the second. Tyler Peyton singled to left field to open the inning, before advancing to second on a hit by pitch. With two on and no outs, Joel Booker laid down a sac bunt to advance both runners into scoring position. Sean Moore then drove in Peyton with a sac fly to right center.
The lead did not last long, however, as HBU responded with three runs in the bottom frame to take the lead. Wiggins worked a full-count walk, quickly trotting around the diamond on Saenz's homer in the next at bat. Morones then singled and advanced on a wild pitch to quickly threaten again. After advancing to third on a groundout in the infield, Clay singled in the infield to plate Morones and give the Huskies a 3-1 advantage.
Executed sacrifices in the later innings allowed HBU to add two more runs. Senior
Curtis Jones drove in one on a sac fly in the bottom of the fifth and junior Curtis Alvarez did the same on a sac bunt in the eighth to claim the 5-1 final.
The Huskies, leading 2-0, will go for the series win in game three of four on Monday in a 1 p.m. first pitch.
