By Hawkeyesports.com

OMAHA, Nebraska – The third-seeded University of Iowa baseball team fell to No. 2 seed UCLA, 9-3, in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals on Saturday afternoon.

The Hawkeyes totaled five hits and batted .161 overall, stranding five base runners. The Bruins smashed 14 hits, including five extra-base hits, and batted .424 overall.

“The game didn’t go how we wanted it to,” said head coach Rick Heller. “With how the wind was blowing today at the ballpark, we were hoping to keep it close until late innings and see if we could find a way to get one. But, UCLA is a very good team and had a great day.”

The Bruins took a 2-0 lead in the third and added five more runs in the fourth inning, including a three-run bomb.

Fifth-year Andy Nelson put Iowa on the board with a two-run shot to left field in the fifth.

UCLA plated one run in the sixth and eighth innings. The Hawkeyes fought until the end as Connor Hennings singled to score Miles Risley in the ninth, but they ultimately couldn’t complete the comeback.

Nelson led the offense, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.

RHP Aaron Savary started on the hill and recieved the loss. Over 3.1 innings of work, Savary allowed seven runs on nine hits and struck out one.

Five Hawkeyes came out of the bullpen, including LHP Brant Hogue, who led the pitching staff with three punchouts. The pitching staff combined for six strikeouts and five free bases.

“We needed a quality start from Savary,” said Heller. “Him getting us to at least the sixth inning was the hope, and with the way Aaron has pitched this season, we felt like that was very doable.”