IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa baseball team defeated Rutgers, 5-1, to sweep the three-game series on Sunday afternoon at Duane Banks Field.

“Great series,” said head coach Rick Heller. “Couldn’t be prouder of the guys. They went out and fought hard. That is what we talked about this week, fighting as hard as we can. Get rid of what people say and what people think and all the things you can’t control and go play as hard as you can and see what happens.”

The Hawkeyes got on the board first with a three-run third inning. Iowa loaded the bases before a fielder’s choice RBI from Sam Petersen plated the first run. Raider Tello then drove in Petersen and Andy Nelson with a triple off the right field wall.

Tello tallied his second hit in the fifth, plating two runs on a double down the left field line. Tello was the lone Hawkeye with a hit in the contest.

Brody Brecht toed the rubber for Iowa and had his best outing of the year. The Ankeny, Iowa native threw a career high 7 2/3 innings and struck out 12 while allowing just one unearned run and one hit.

“It felt good to be out there and to feel like myself again,” said Brecht. “Just give the team an opportunity to win the game. I think everything was working for me, the fastball kind of teetered late there but I felt good. I thought Sean called a great game and the position players made a lot of good plays. I have to give credit to them too.”

Ben DeTaeye threw the final 1 1/3 innings and struck out two and didn’t allow a hit.

The Hawkeyes allowed just one hit for the first time since February 18, 2022 against Air Force.

Rutgers scored their only run of the game in the eighth when a walk came around to score after a groundout, a wild pitch, and an error.

“There are weird days like that,” said Heller. “Very rarely have you been to this ballpark and seen a game like that with three hits for both teams. Happy that the guys really stepped up with a great effort this weekend.”

The Hawkeyes finish up the current homestand on Tuesday at 6:05 p.m. (CT) against Milwaukee.