Maybe it was fitting in a sick, pull-your-hair out, demented kind of way. A record-tying baseball season for the Iowa Hawkeyes ended with a record-tying bit of dubious history.
First, the positives: Iowa advanced to the NCAA Tournament for just the sixth time in program history and for the third time under head coach Rick Heller. It’s also the first regional appearance for the Hawkeyes since 2017. After its thrilling, marathon win over North Carolina earlier today in 13 innings, Iowa tied its single-season record for wins with 44. The 1981 Hawkeye squad also accomplished that feat.
Now, the season’s final frustrations.
Iowa fell to No. 14 overall seed Indiana State in the Terre Haute Regional final, 11-8. Along the way, Hawkeye pitchers combined to tie the NCAA’s all-time, single- mark for hit batters. Iowa joined TCU against Baylor in March of 2012, Fordham against Saint Joseph’s in April of 2009 and Rice against Washington in May of 1998 as programs that have plunked 10 opposing hitters in a single game.
Knowing they entered the regional final taxed on arms, Iowa tried valiantly to muster up enough offense to get the Hawkeyes from Sunday night to a winner-take-all if-necessary game on Monday.
Iowa struck first with an RBI single from redshirt sophomore Raider Tello to bring home junior shortstop Michael Seegers in the first. Then, fifth-year first baseman Brennen Dorighi tied it at three apiece in the third with a two-run blast.
Hawkeye fans understandably allowed themselves to hope about Iowa taking the long road back into the Super Regionals during the fourth inning. One of the heroes in Iowa’s extra innings win earlier today against North Carolina, freshman Blake Guerin delivered again.
He launched a two-run blast to put Iowa in front 5-4. Then, Seegers singled and junior catcher Cade Moss came home to score on a Sycamore throwing error. Suddenly, Iowa led by a pair of runs.
Alas, it wouldn’t last. Ultimately, 16 free bases from the Hawkeyes—10 hit batters and six walks—were just too much to overcome.
Indiana State scored two runs in the fifth, two more in the sixth and then a three-run homer from Keegan Watson officially put things out of reach.
With the season on the line, Hawkeye fans reacted as expected across social media. Some temporary joy and hope, but some serious, serious deflation as well.
Here’s some of the key Hawkeye highlights and the best from Iowa fans reacting on social media.
𝐂𝐋𝐔𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐂𝐀𝐃𝐄 ‼️@CadeObermueller enters with the bases loaded and gets us out of the jam to limit the damage. #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/SVZukF97H9
— Iowa Baseball (@UIBaseball) June 4, 2023
What a HUGE spot for the true freshman. Cade Obermueller. Strikes Indiana State’s ace out with bases loaded.
35 strikeouts this year in 20.1 innings.
— David Eickholt (@DavidEickholt) June 4, 2023
Hellerball, man.
— David Eickholt (@DavidEickholt) June 4, 2023
Let us get out of this & we promise not to plunk any more Sycamores 🙏
— Gary Koerner (@koerner_gary) June 4, 2023
Sycamore batters just trying to get hit at this point…
— 𝓒𝓙 𝓐𝓵𝓵𝓻𝓮𝓭 (@HawksBestie) June 4, 2023
Indiana State is all over the plate. That’s ridiculous.
— David Eickholt (@DavidEickholt) June 4, 2023
Elbow guards should be banned after watching this Iowa-Indiana State game
— Zach Brandt (@zachbrandt23) June 5, 2023
We have to have a pitcher who can throw a strike and not at batters don’t we?!?
— 𝖡ꓰ𝐴𝑺🝨І𝐸 ꮋ𝘖𝐘 (@beastiehoy33) June 4, 2023
The Whopper theme song is going to give me night terrors for years to come.
— David Eickholt (@DavidEickholt) June 5, 2023
The frequency of these Burger King commercials is out of control.
— Nebraska Hawks Nest (@nehawksnest) June 5, 2023
Iowa looks tired. Expectedly so.
— HawknolongerfromNorwalk (@hawkfromnorwalk) June 5, 2023
Come on Hawks!! ISU does NOT need this much help!
— Lisa Dondlinger (@LisaDondlinger) June 5, 2023
at this point lets just hit them all
— On3 Hawkeye Images (@webcentrick) June 5, 2023
For the Indiana State LF deceiving all of us and disgracing the game of baseball, the penalty is hereby announced as:
-Forfeit of current game
-Forfeit of next gameSorry, but them’s the rules. #Hawkeyes
— Cody Hills (@ByCodyHills) June 5, 2023
Now Indiana and Iowa are tied 9-9 in hit batsmen. Makes sense considering they were the 8th/9th schools (order never defined) to join the Big Ten on Dec. 1, 1899. https://t.co/2PF5p3W35v
— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman) June 5, 2023
There’s the 10th HBP for Indiana State.
That ties the NCAA single-game record.
— Go Iowa Awesome (@IowaAwesome) June 5, 2023
Iowa just hit a tenth batter today tying the NCAA record. Might at least just smoke one more to have it all to yourself!
— Mark Woodley (@MarkWoodleyTV) June 5, 2023
Iowa has hit more batters (10) tonight than they had passing touchdowns all last football season (7).
— David Eickholt (@DavidEickholt) June 5, 2023
helluva season hawks
— PlannedSickDays (@PlannedSickDays) June 5, 2023
Quite the run by Iowa’s baseball team. Hawkeyes were fun to watch this year.
— John Bohnenkamp (@johnbohnenkamp) June 5, 2023
It really was a very fun season for @UIBaseball.
* Tied the program record with 44 wins
* Made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 6 years.
* Beat the #1 team (LSU).
Lots of players who were great to watch.
Shame the ride’s over, but it was a good one.
— Go Iowa Awesome (@IowaAwesome) June 5, 2023
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