Hawkeyes Take Series from Golden Gophers with 5-4 Win

Iowa baseball team defeats Minnesota in series finale at Duane Banks Field.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 9:11am

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The University of Iowa baseball team defeated Minnesota, 5-4, in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at Duane Banks Field to win the three-game set. Senior Logan Runde earned the start for the Hawkeyes, pitching seven strong innings, while the Iowa offense scored runs in the first, fourth, and seventh innings to build a 5-1 lead before Minnesota mounted a late comeback in the ninth.

Why it matters

This series win over a Big Ten rival keeps the Hawkeyes in contention for a conference title and potential NCAA Tournament berth. The team showed resilience in bouncing back from a tough loss on Friday to take the series.

The details

Senior Logan Runde pitched seven innings for Iowa, allowing just four hits and one run while striking out five batters. The Hawkeye offense struck early, scoring two runs in the first inning and adding single runs in the fourth and seventh to build a 5-1 lead. Minnesota mounted a late comeback with a three-run home run in the ninth, but Iowa was able to close out the 5-4 victory.

  • The series finale took place on Sunday, April 6, 2026.
  • Iowa and Minnesota played a three-game series from April 4-6, 2026.

The players

Logan Runde

A senior pitcher for the University of Iowa baseball team who earned the start and pitched seven strong innings in the series finale against Minnesota.

Rick Heller

The head coach of the University of Iowa baseball team.

Gable Mitchell

A senior outfielder for the University of Iowa baseball team who doubled and scored a run in the win over Minnesota.

Caleb Wulf

A senior infielder for the University of Iowa baseball team who drove in two runs with a single and a sacrifice fly in the victory.

Beau Leisure

A junior pitcher for the University of Iowa baseball team who earned the save by recording the final two outs against Minnesota.

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What they’re saying

“They answered the bell; they answered the call. After a rough Friday, all the guys that went out there went out and attacked.”

— Rick Heller, Head Coach, University of Iowa Baseball

“Just getting ahead of hitters. Not falling behind in counts. I didn't have that many strikeouts today, but my defense worked behind me, and they were unbelievable. Just let them work, that's a recipe for success.”

— Logan Runde, Senior Pitcher, University of Iowa Baseball

What’s next

Iowa will travel to Los Angeles on April 10-12 for a three-game series against USC at Dedeaux Field.

The takeaway

This series win over a Big Ten rival keeps the Hawkeyes in contention for a conference title and potential NCAA Tournament berth, demonstrating the team's resilience in bouncing back from a tough loss to take the series.