On Friday evening in Goodyear, Arizona, the University of Iowa baseball team faced Kansas State in the first game of the MLB Desert Invitational baseball season and were defeated 15-6. Despite some positive moments on offense and pitching, Iowa struggled early and could not overcome the Wildcats’ strong start.
Early Struggles and Offensive Efforts Highlight the Game
Sophomore Tyler Guerin made his debut Friday night start for the Hawkeyes, taking the mound for three innings and striking out two before taking the loss. Kansas State quickly built a 2-0 lead in the first inning and extended it to 3-0 after the second.
Iowa responded in the third inning with a run driven in by redshirt junior Kellen Stromeyer, who doubled to right-center and helped senior Gable Mitchell score. Stromeyer finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate, led the team with a double and an RBI, and recorded his fourth career multi-hit game, matching his personal best.
The Hawkeyes managed to score in four innings in a row, including the fourth when senior Miles Risley doubled to center, bringing home graduate transfer Matthew Delgado, narrowing the Wildcats’ advantage to 5-2. However, Kansas State responded with a powerful six-run outburst in the bottom of the fourth inning that shifted momentum firmly in their favor.
Late Attempts to Rally Fall Short Against Wildcats
Iowa’s junior Kooper Schulte hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning, reigniting hope for the Hawkeyes. Iowa then added single runs in the sixth and eighth innings—senior Gable Mitchell scored on a wild pitch, and senior Caleb Wulf’s single brought home senior Joey Nerat. Freshman Tate Slagle made his collegiate debut pitching in the seventh inning and struck out two batters, showing promise despite the mounting deficit. Ultimately, Kansas State pulled away decisively, finishing with a 15-6 win.
Notable Highlights and Team Developments
Several Iowa players made their first appearances this season, including transfers Bryce Phelps, Jayden Ziegler, and Matthew Delgado, along with freshmen John Henry Kohorst, Tate Slagle, Brett White, Kyle Alivo, and Ty Mikkelsen. The team’s offensive leaders for the game—Stromeyer, Mitchell, Wulf, and Schulte—all scored twice during the contest. Iowa now holds a 10-18 all-time record against Kansas State and has a 6-7 record in season openers under head coach Rick Heller.
“It was a challenging day, and we had some sloppy moments on the mound and in the field,”
said head coach Rick Heller.
“On offense, Kellen Strohmeyer, Caleb Wulf, Kooper Schulte, and Gable Mitchell had some really strong at-bats, and Jaron Bleeker and Tate Slagle showed a lot of promise on the mound. We had the table set several times, but we didn’t get the big hit. We’ll wipe it away and play better tomorrow.”
– Rick Heller, Head Coach
Looking Ahead: Iowa Prepares for Next Matchup
The Hawkeyes, now 0-1 in the 2026 MLB Desert Invitational baseball event, will return to action Saturday evening to face Air Force at 7 p.m. Central Time. After a tough opening game, Iowa aims to improve execution on both offense and defense as they continue their season in Arizona.
