April 27, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format
HAWKEYES THIS MIDWEEK: The Iowa Hawkeyes will travel to Cedar Rapids Tuesday to take on Northern Iowa in the final Corridor Classic. Iowa beat the Panthers 5-4 at Duane Banks Field on April 22nd. This will be the final showdown between the two Iowa schools. On Wednesday, the Jays come to Iowa City. Creighton is the alma mater of Head Coach Jack Dahm. Dahm is 1-0 when facing his former ball club.
HAWKEYES THIS WEEKEND: Iowa will travel to Minneapolis to take on the Gophers Friday-Sunday in a three-game series at Siebert Field in hopes of ending its eight game skid in the conference. Minnesota is 27-12 with a 10-4 record in the conference.
HAWKEYES ON THE NET: Iowa baseball fans can follow the Hawkeyes, as live stats will be available on hawkeyesports.com. Just click on the Gametracker link found on both the front page and the baseball schedule page.
HAWKEYES ON THE AIR: Hawkeye fans can catch most Hawkeye games on AM-800 KXIC. The Voice of the Hawkeyes, Brent Balbinot, will call the play-by-play. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday’s games will all be broadcasted on the radio, Saturday and Sunday are internet only.
TUESDAY, 6:30 P.M.IA - Jarred Hippen (LHP, FR, 6-3, 190)UNI - LUCAS O'REAR (RHP)NOTING: This will be Hippen's first career non-Big Ten start of the year.Before starting conference games, Hippen was a reliever.
WEDNESDAY, 6 P.M.IA - Zach Kenyon (RHP, SO, 6-6, 205)CU - TBANOTING: This will be Kenyon's fourth start of the season and sixth appearance.He has a 0-2 record.
FRIDAY 6:30 P.M.IA - Nick Brown (RHP, FR, 6-4, 208)MINN - CHAUNCY HANDRAN (RHP)NOTING: Brown did not pitch last weekend. His last appearance was against Purduein which he picked up his second win of the year. Brown has a 5.20 ERA on the year.
SATURDAY, 2 P.M.IA - Phil Schreiber (RHP, FR, 6-0, 190)MINN - TOM BUSKE (RHP)NOTING: Schreiber is 2-2 this year in six starts and 11 appearances.
SUNDAY, 2 P.M.IA - Jarred Hippen (LHP, FR, 6-3, 190)MINN - SETH ROSIN (RHP)NOTING: Hippen has the lowest ERA of a starter on the Hawkeye squad with a 4.88.He also averages two strikeouts per walk.="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/pre%3E%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESCOUTING%20NORTHERN%20IOWA:%3C/strong%3E%20The%20Panthers%20are%2015-24%20with%20a%202-2%20record%20at%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20neutral%20sites.%20They%20are%20currently%20on%20a%20six-game%20skid,%20after%20losing%20two%20to%20Wichita%20State%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20last%20weekend.%20The%20Northern%20Iowa%20offense%20is%20led%20by%20Travis%20Bennett.%20He%20is%20hitting%20.340%20with%20a%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20team-best%2037%20RBI%20and%20.513%20slugging%20percentage.%20The%20Panthers%20are%20led%20by%20reliever%20Zach%20Zirbel%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20with%20a%201.93%20ERA%20in%2015%20appearances.%20He%20has%20amassed%2021%20strikeouts%20in%2023.1%20innings%20pitched.%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20Iowa%20leads%20the%20all-time%20series%20between%20the%20two%20schools,%2068-23-1.%3C/p%3E%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESCOUTING%20CREIGHTON:%3C/strong%3E%20The%20Jays%20are%2023-18%20and%205-10%20on%20the%20road%20this%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20season.%20They%20are%20slated%20to%20play%20South%20Dakota%20State%20Tuesday%20before%20coming%20to%20town%20Wednesday.%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20Darin%20Ruf%20leads%20the%20Jays,%20offensively.%20He%20is%20hitting%20.311%20with%20a%20team%20best%20in%20home%20runs%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20(7),%20RBI%20(40),%20slugging%20percentage%20(.536)%20and%20walks%20(28).%20The%20team%20is%20hitting%20.302%20and%20has%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20six%20starters%20who%20have%20played%20all%2041%20of%20its%20games.%20The%20Creighton%20pitching%20staff%20has%20a%203.82%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20ERA%20and%20are%20led%20by%20starter%20Jonas%20Dufek.%20Dufek%20has%20a%203.62%20ERA%20with%20nine%20starts%20and%20two%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20complete%20games.%20Iowa%20leads%20the%20series,%2011-9.%3C/p%3E%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESCOUTING%20MINNESOTA:%3C/strong%3E%20The%20Gophers%20are%2027-12%20and%2010-4%20in%20the%20conference%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20after%20sweeping%20Purdue%20at%20home%20last%20weekend.%20The%20Gopher%20offense%20is%20led%20by%20Derek%20McCallum%20who%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20is%20hitting%20a%20team-best%20.395%20overall%20with%2011%20homers,%2055%20RBI%20and%20a%20monster%20.704%20slugging%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20percentage.%20The%20team%20is%20hitting%20.323%20in%20the%20conference,%20with%20McCallum%20leading%20the%20way%20with%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20a%20.434%20average%20and%20.849%20slugging%20percentage.%20Minnesota%20hurlers,%20Chauncy%20Handran,%20Tom%20Buske%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20and%20Seth%20Rosin%20are%20slated%20to%20start%20against%20the%20Hawkeyes.%20Handran%20leads%20the%20staff%20in%20Big%20Ten%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20strikeouts%20(27)%20Buske%20has%20the%20best%20ERA%20of%20a%20starter%20with%20a%202.34.%20Rosin%20leads%20the%20team%20with%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20a%203-0%20record%20in%20conference%20play.%20Iowa%20trails%20the%20series%20between%20the%20schools,%20165-105.%3C/p%3E%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ENUMBER%20OF%20THE%20WEEK%20=%2010:%3C/strong%3E%20Ten%20of%20Iowa's%2014%20victories%20have%20come%20with%20Iowa%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20scoring%20eight%20runs%20or%20more.%20The%20Hawkeyes%20have%20posted%20only%20four%20wins%20this%20year%20when%20plating%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20seven%20runs%20or%20fewer.%3C/p%3E%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMICHIGAN%20STATE%20SUMMARY:%3C/strong%3E%20The%20Michigan%20State%20Spartans%20completed%20a%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20three-game%20sweep%20over%20the%20Iowa%20Hawkeye%20baseball%20team%20with%20a%2014-5%20win%20Sunday.%20Iowa%20fell%20to%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20Michigan%20State%20Saturday,%2015-4.%20The%20Spartan%20offense%20came%20out%20swinging%20in%20the%20first%20and%20never%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20trailed.%20The%20Hawkeyes%20left%2015%20on%20base,%2011%20of%20which%20were%20in%20scoring%20position%20and%20lost%20two%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20starters%20due%20to%20injury%20in%20the%20competition.%20The%20Hawkeyes%20dropped%20a%20slugfest%20Friday%20to%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20Michigan%20State,%2015-10.%20Despite%20scoring%20runs%20in%20six%20innings%20and%20outhitting%20the%20Spartans%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%2015-14,%20Michigan%20State's%20offense%20pushed%20past%20the%20Hawkeyes.%20To%20lead%20Iowa,%20offensively,%20last%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20weekend%20was%20%3Ca%20href="/roster.aspx?rp_id=2449" class="imported_story_link" oldlink="/sports/m-basebl/mtt/flanagan_sean00.html">Sean Flanagan going 6-for-11 with two doubels, three walks and a homer. Kody McManis who went 4-for-6 with four RBI. Mike McQuillan went 7-for-13 with three RBI and a triple. Dallas Burke went 3-for-6, Kevin Hoef went 5-for-11 .
OBERMUELLER THROWS 1ST PITCH: Major League pitcher and former Hawkeye standout Wes Obermueller will throw out the first pitch at the final Corridor Classic. Obermuller was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the second round of the 1999 draft. Since then, he has played with the Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves and Florida Marlins. He has a 5.82 ERA in the majors and is currently a free agent. Obermueller, a Vinton, IA native, transferred to Iowa his sophomore season from Kirkwood Community College. He was an outfielder at Kirkwood, came to Iowa as a shortstop and was moved to the mound as a junior. Obermueller collected 91 strikeouts during the 1999 season, while also compiling a .352 batting average with 24 RBI.
TOOLE IS OUT FOR THE SEASON: On his first at bat of game two against the Spartans, Justin Toole wore a pitch off his forearm. Despite being injured, Toole proceeded to steal two bases before being taken out of the game and to the hospital. Toole ended the season with a .346 batting average, team-best 13 doubles and 15 stolen bases.
MCMANIS IS DAY TO DAY: Head Coach Jack Dahm says that senior catcher Kody McManis is a “day-to-day” case and could see action this weekend at Minnesota. McManis took a pitch off the face Saturday against Michigan State and missed game three of the series.
FLANAGAN AS A STARTER: Freshman Sean Flanagan has started six of the last seven games out in left field for the Hawkeyes. He is hitting 11-for-23 (.478) as a starter with three doubles, two homers and a whopping .870 slugging percentage.
HITS, HITS, HITS!: Seventeen Hawkeyes have recorded at least one multi-hit game this season. Leading the team is Justin Toole with 17, followed by Ryan Durant with 16 and T.J. Cataldo with 12. Nine players are hitting above .300 so far this season, five of which are freshmen who have capitalized on their chances to play.
BULLPEN KEEPS IOWA IN GAMES: The Hawkeye bullpen has thrown well in the Big Ten — with a 4.02 ERA in 49.2 innings pitched. Leading Iowa’s relievers are Kevin Lee, Kyle Heim, Jeff Pacha and Steve Turnbull.