Iowa tops Michigan 7-3 to advance to Big Ten championship

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Kyle Huckstorf had a two-run triple and an RBI single, Connor Shultz struck out the side in the eighth to end a Michigan threat and No. 3 seed Iowa beat the fifth-seeded Wolverines 7-3 in the first semifinal of the Big Ten Tournament on Saturday night.

Iowa (36-18) will have to beat Michigan (30-26) again Sunday morning to advance to Sunday night’s championship game.

Keaton Anthony drew a bases-loaded walk in the top of the fifth inning to give the Hawkeyes a 1-0 lead. Huckstorf drove in a pair with his triple in the sixth to make it 3-0,

Michigan (30-26) answered with two runs in its half of the sixth on a two-run single by Jordon Rogers to get within a run.

Iowa scored four times in the seventh to take a 7-2 lead. Sam Petersen drove in two with a single and Cade Moss and Huckstorf added RBI base hits.

Jimmy Obertop homered off Hawkeyes reliever Ben Beufel leading off the bottom of the eighth to make it 7-3. A walk to Tito Flores and a bunt single by Riley Bertram spelled the end for Beufel. Connor Schultz came in and struck out Ted Burton, Rogers and Jake Marti to end the threat.

Schultz yielded a lead-off double to Joe Stewart in the ninth but stranded him at third base for his first save. Starter Cam Baumann allowed two runs on five hits and a walk in 5 2/3 innings, striking out five in his first decision of the season.

Chase Allen (7-2) took the loss for the Wolverines.

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