BASEBALL

Iowa baseball falls to Maryland in Big Ten Tournament title game

Dargan Southard
Des Moines Register

OMAHA — A black-and-gold wave engulfed the first-base line at Charles Schwab Field Sunday afternoon, hoping to inject more life into an Iowa baseball tournament run already full of energy and emotion. For the first time since 2016, the Hawkeyes could lean on the geographical benefit Omaha provides in a championship setting.

Maryland was having none of it.

The Terrapins made the first dent in dueling bullpen games, jumping on the Hawkeyes for two fifth-inning home runs before tacking on late insurance that put the final nail in Iowa's Omaha stay. Top-seeded Maryland finished off the Hawkeyes, 4-0, to pair its regular-season championship with a Big Ten Tournament title.

"The disappointing thing for me is just so many Hawk fans came out for us today. The support was just tremendous," Iowa baseball coach Rick Heller said. "To not find a way to get it done is painful. It just is."

For as much celebratory potential as Sunday's afternoon affair had, Iowa (42-14) had to balance all decisions — particularly pitching ones — with an eye on next weekend's regional games. It's an interesting position the Hawkeyes haven't been in much, with an at-large NCAA Tournament bid wrapped up and meaningful baseball still to play. But with Maryland (41-19) in the same boat on the other side, it felt like an even playing field as far as availability goes.

The problem with bullpen games, though, is the precarious nature in which they're constructed. One off arm and the whole thing can fall apart in a moment's notice. All the quality mound work that came before the stumble can get quickly washed away.

The Hawkeyes got exactly what they needed out of starter Marcus Morgan, who was again throwing on short rest for the third consecutive outing. Two clean frames on 28 pitches was a perfect execution after Tuesday's start. Morgan should be ready to roll whenever Iowa trots him out next weekend.

"The goal was to come out and set the tone," Morgan said, "with whatever (number of pitches) they were going to let me go."

From there, though, things got much rockier. Aaron Savary didn't have it in his first appearance since May 13, forcing Jack Whitlock to clean up his third-inning mess with the bases loaded. Whitlock wiggled out of the jam — just as he did Tuesday against Michigan — but problems were on the horizon.

This Maryland team has bopped all season at an incredible rate, and it did so again on two hanging off-speed pitches in the fifth. Kevin Keister took the first hack, crushing a two-run homer deep in the left-field bullpen as Maryland relievers jumped for joy. Three batters later, Nick Lorusso clubbed his 23rd homer this season off a left-field railing for a 3-0 Maryland advantage.

It was a tough Omaha parting gift for Whitlock, who's been Iowa's most trusted reliever down the stretch while working out of massive spots. Maryland tacked on a two-out sixth-inning run off reliever Luke Llewellyn to pad the cushion.

The Hawkeyes had offensive opportunities throughout, putting at least one runner in scoring position in each of the first four frames. But the clutch knocks that defined Iowa's early Omaha action vanished on this day.

"This team has always responded (well) to losses," said left-fielder Sam Petersen, who was named to the all-tournament team along with Kyle Huckstorf, Michael Seegers and Ty Langenberg. "I still think we're one of the best teams in the country. When we show it, there's nothing to worry about."

Regardless of Sunday's outcome, this week has been a rousing success for the Hawkeyes. Iowa conquered quality pitching, flipped games around with timely offense and thrived in a tournament setting. All vital traits that will need to show up in abundance wherever the Hawkeyes get sent.

Plenty of positivity can be carried into next weekend's regional, where Iowa will likely assume the underdog mantra that seems to buoy the Hawkeyes often. The Hawkeyes landed the No. 2 seed in the Terre Haute regional and will open with No. 3 seed North Carolina at 6 p.m. (CT) Friday on ACC Network. No. 14 overall seed Indiana State and Wright State make up the other half of the regional and will play at noon (CT) Friday, with the first-round winners meeting Saturday.

"I believe that this team can be back here in a couple weeks (for the College World Series) if we go play like we're capable," Heller said. "That's what the message is going to be."

Dargan Southard is a sports trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com.