Hawkeyes Host Indiana in Home Opener

March 28, 2013

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Iowa Game Notes

THE MATCH-UP
-Iowa will host 19th-ranked Indiana in a three-game series March 30-April 1 at Duane Banks Field. The Hawkeyes and Hoosiers open the series with 1:05 p.m. (CT) match-ups Saturday and Sunday, before closing play Monday. Monday’s game time is yet to be announced.

-It is the Hawkeyes’ fourth crack at a home-opener, as previous games against Nebraska-Omaha, Coe College, and Creighton were cancelled or postponed.

-Duane Banks Field goes 395 feet to dead center, and plays 329 feet down the left and right field lines. Iowa was 11-8 at home in 2012, including taking 2-of-3 games from No. 13 Purdue during the final weekend of the season.

ON THE RADIO
This weekend’s three-game series will be broadcast on the radio on AM-800 KXIC and AM-1360 KMJM. Brent Balbinot will handle the play-by-play, while Jeff Duncan will provide color commentary Saturday and Sunday and Zach Kenyon on Monday.

ON THE WEB
Iowa baseball fans can follow the Hawkeyes with live stats (GameTracker) on hawkeyesports.com. Click on the “GT” link found on both the front page and the baseball schedule page.

WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
Hawkeyes fans will have the chance to enjoy a trio of promotions this weekend at Duane Banks Field. The first 100 fans in that attend Saturday’s series opener against Indiana will receive a pair of Iowa Hawkeye sunglasses. Iowa will host a baseball egg hunt on Sunday. Fans that attend Monday’s game against Indiana will have the opportunity to play baseball movie trivia for a prize.

THE SERIES
The Hawkeyes own a 76-62 advantage in their all-time series with Indiana. The Hoosiers won 2-of-3 games last season in Bloomington. Iowa won the middle game of the three-game set, winning 4-0. Matt Dermody started and collected the win, throwing seven scoreless inning and scattering four hits. The two teams last met in Iowa City in 2011, with Indiana taking 2-of-3 games.

SCOUTING INDIANA
Indiana enters the weekend ranked 19th by Baseball America. The Hoosiers own a 19-3 record (3-0 Big Ten) and have won 12-straight games, a streak that is tied for the longest in the country, and is the longest against Division-I competition. The Hoosiers most recent victory came on Wednesday, downing No. 10 Louisville, 6-2, in Bloomington.

Indiana leads the Big Ten in hitting with a .313 average, and boast three of the conference’s top eight hitters. Kyle Schwarber leads the team and ranks second in the Big Ten in batting average (.416), hits (37), and RBIs (26). Schwarber paces the conference with five home runs. Dustin DeMuth hits at a .398 clip, placing him third among Big Ten athletes. Scott Donley has drove in a conference-best 27 runs, and ranks eighth in batting average (.369).

The Hoosiers also lead the Big Ten in pitching, registering a 2.00 ERA. Indiana’s expected three-man rotation against the Hawkeyes — LHP Joey DeNato, LHP Kyle Hart, and RHP Aaron Slegers — are a combined 11-1. DeNato is 3-1 with a 2.51 ERA, Hart is 4-0 with a 1.53 ERA, and Slegers is 4-0 with a 1.37 ERA. The Hoosiers’ pitching staff also features Scott Effross, who has posted Big Ten-best marks in ERA (0.38) and opposing batting average (.163) in 10 appearances this season.

Indiana is coached by Tracy Smith, who is in his eighth season at the helm of the Hoosier program.

ON THE HORIZONM
Iowa returns to action Tuesday, April 2, hosting Western Illinois at Duane Banks Field. The Hawkeyes played the Leathernecks earlier this season, winning 7-3 on March 2 in Little Rock, Ark. Tuesday’s game will be broadcast on BTN.com.

CREIGHTON GAME POSTPONED
The Iowa-Creighton game scheduled for March 27 was called off due to standing snow and field conditions at Duane Banks Field. The game will be made up April 23 in Iowa City beginning at 6:05 p.m. (CT).

B1G WINS LEADER
Senior pitcher Matt Dermody leads the Big Ten and is tied for ninth in the country with five wins. Dermody in 5-0 in six starts this season, picking up wins against Austin Peay (Feb. 16), Western Illinois (March 2), Georgetown (March 9), Nebraska-Omaha (March 17), and Northwestern (March 23). The Norwalk, Iowa, native has thrown 42.1 innings, the most among Big Ten pitchers, and ranks ninth in the conference with a 1.91 ERA.

Dermody’s five wins set a career-high, besting the four wins he recorded during his sophomore season. Iowa has won all six of the games in which Dermody has started, as he has allowed two runs or less in five of the six starts.

Dermody recorded his third career complete game in his last start on March 23 against Northwestern. The 6-foot-5 lefthander allowed one unearned run and struck out five, scattering seven hits.

NO STRANGER TO THE BIG TEN
Senior Matt Dermody has made 18 career Big Ten starts, including Big Ten Tournament play, ranking third among active Big Ten pitchers. Dermody trails Illinois’ Kevin Johnson and Penn State’s Steven Hill, who have both started 25 career Big Ten games. The Norwalk, Iowa, native made eight Big Ten starts in 2011 and 2012.

THRIVING AGAINST LEFTIES
Five of Iowa’s regulars thrive against left-handed pitching. Sophomore Kris Goodman leads the team with a .421 (8-of-19) average against southpaws, while Taylor Kaufman (.375, 6-of-16), Keith Brand (.364; 4-of-11), Eric Toole (.357, 5-of-14) and Jake Yacinich (.350, 7-of-20) hit above .350.

GETTING ON BASE
Sophomore Taylor Kaufman has reached base safely in 15 consecutive games, setting a new career best. The streak began during the opening weekend of the 2013 season.

Kaufman is currently riding his second four-game hit streak of the season, going 6-for-15 (.400) over the stretch He posted his first four-game hitting streak from Feb. 17-24. The four game hit streaks are a career-best.

The Glenwood, Iowa, native has drawn a team-high 12 walks, ranking eighth in the Big Ten.

KUEBEL UNBLEMISHED IN B1G
Sophomore Sasha Kuebel is unblemished in eight career Big Ten starts. The southpaw went 4-0 with a 2.83 ERA in conference starts as a freshman en route to second team All-Big Ten honors.

Kuebel is 1-4 with a 5.08 ERA this season as Iowa’s Friday starter. Kuebel was the Sunday starter as a freshman.

LEGGING OUT TRIPLES
Junior Taylor Zeuternhorst has his a team-high two triples this season, tallying three-baggers against West Virginia (March 10) and Nebraska-Omaha (March 18). The two triples are tied for the second-most among Big Ten athletes.

FILLING BIG SHOES
Freshman Nick Roscetti started all three games at shortstop against Northwestern (March 22-23), filling in for an injured Jake Yacinich. Roscetti went 3-for-10 at the plate, registering the first hit of his Hawkeye career in series opener on March 22 after singling in the top of the fifth inning. The Sherman, Ill., native went 2-for-3 in the series finale (March 23), recording the first multi-hit game and extra-base hit of collegiate career.

BRINGING THEM HOME
Sophomore Jake Yacinich paces the Hawkeyes with 13 RBIs and is hitting .462(12-of-26) with runners in scoring position. Seven of his 13 RBIs have come during his current career-long seven game hitting streak. It is the second longest streak for a Hawkeye this season. Yacinich missed the Hawkeyes three-game series with Northwestern due to a concussion.

Yacinich has 23 hits this season, ranking second on the team. He is tied for the team lead with seven multi-hit games, which includes a pair of career-best three-hit contests (W. Illinois, Omaha).

SANDQUIST SHINES
Senior Ricky Sandquist has been one of Iowa’s best stories in 2013. After making an adjustment to his pitching mechanics, going to a 3/4 arm slot, the Fort Dodge, Iowa, native has been spectacular.

Sandquist is 1-0 with a 1.19 ERA — the third best mark in the Big Ten. He has allowed zero earned runs in all five of his relief appearances. He tallied his first win March 24 after tossing three innings against Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Sandquist has also made two starts, posting a 3.12 ERA over 8 2/3 innings.

GOOD(MAN) HITTING
Sophomore Kris Goodman has been one of the Hawkeyes top offensive threats this season, leading the team in batting average (.360), hits (27), runs scored (13), and total bases (28). His 27 hits and .360 batting average both rank 11th in the Big Ten. He has posted seven multi-hit games, including a career-best three hits on five different occasions. The Apple Valley, Minn., native opened the year with a career-best eight-game hitting streak.

TOOLE THE THIEF
Sophomore Eric Toole is 8-of-9 in stolen base attempts this season. Toole’s eight swipes are a team-best and are two off the Big Ten lead, ranking sixth in the conference. The Council Bluffs, Iowa, native stole seven bases in 2012, ranking fourth on the team.

DON’T RUN ON SHEPPARD
Senior Dan Sheppard has caught five base runners attempting to steal this season. The mark is tied for seventh in the conference. Sheppard threw out four base runners in Iowa’s season-opening series at Austin Peay (Feb. 15-17).

HIBBING WITH THE SAVE
Sophomore Nick Hibbing leads the Hawkeyes with two saves. Hibbing earned his first save of against Western Illinois on March 2, throwing two scoreless innings in relief of starter Matt Dermody. Hibbing’s second save came March 10 against West Virginia, as he pitched the 12th inning and induced a game-ending double play.

OUCH!
The Hawkeyes have been hit by 39 pitches this season, the most of any Big Ten team. Four Hawkeyes — senior Keith Brand, junior Taylor Zeutenhorst and sophomores Kris Goodman and Jake Yacinich — rank in the top-six of the Big Ten in hit-by-pitches. Brand has been hit three times in a game three times (UALR, Maine, UNO), getting plunked a team-high 10 times — the second most in the conference. Zeutenhorst, Goodman, and Yacinich have all been hit five times, placing them tied for sixth in the Big Ten.

Iowa was hit by a pitch seven times March 1 against Arkansas-Little Rock, the most a Big Ten club has been hit in a game this season.

SACRIFICING YOURSELF
Iowa has laid down a Big Ten-best 20 sacrifice bunts this season. Sophomore Eric Toole has delivered five of the sacrifices, leading the team and ranking second the conference.

BULLPEN DOING ITS JOB
The Iowa bullpen has been stellar this year, allowing 16 earned runs in 69 innings and collecting three of the team’s nine wins.

Two Hawkeye relievers — senior Ricky Sandquist and sophomore Ryan Rumpf — have not allowed an earned run out of the bullpen, while senior Andrew Hanse and sophomore Taylor Kaufman have been Mr. Reliable.

Hanse has allowed three earned runs in a team-high nine appearances. The right-hander has 13 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings, and has a 1.72 ERA.

Kaufman has allowed zero runs in 6-of-7 appearances. He threw four innings of four-hit relief in picking up a victory in Iowa’s win over New Mexico. The lefty has a 2.42 ERA with 15 strikeouts over 22 1/3 innings.

SHUTTING OPPONENTS DOWN
The Iowa pitching staff has 2.75 ERA this season, ranking fourth in the Big Ten behind Indiana (2.00), Ohio State (2.35) and Northwestern (2.46). The Hawkeyes 2.75 ERA ranks 26th in the nation. In addition, the staff ranks first in home runs allowed (3) and second in walks allowed (57).

IOWA IS…
– 4-0 when leading after six, 5-0 after seven, and 8-0 after eight innings.
– 6-2 when out-hitting its opponent.
– 4-2 against left-handed starters and 5-8 against righties.

IOWA IN EXTRA-INNINGS
Iowa is 2-1 in extra-inning games. The Hawkeyes won their first two contests that went into extras, downing New Mexico, 6-2, in 10 innings on Feb. 23 and defeating West Virginia, 6-4, in 12 innings on March 10. Iowa fell to Northwestern, 2-1, in 13 innings on March 22. The Hawkeyes have outscored opponents 6-1 in extra-innings.

1-RUN GAMES UNDER DAHM
During Jack Dahm’s 10-year tenure at Iowa, the Hawkeyes have played 126 one-run games. Iowa is 58-68 in such contests. The Hawkeyes are 1-2 in one-run games this season, defeating Northwestern, 2-1, on March 23.

DAHM COLLECTS 500TH WIN
Iowa head coach Jack Dahm won his 500th career game as a collegiate coach in the Hawkeyes 7-3 triumph over Western Illinois on March 2.

Dahm, who is in his 20th season as a head coach, currently has 505 career victories, winning 283 games at Creighton from 1994-2003 and 222 games at Iowa, beginning in 2004. His 222 wins at Iowa rank third in program history, trailing Duane Banks (810 wins) and Otto Vogel (440 wins).

HAWKEYES SWEEP SNOWBIRD CLASSIC
The Hawkeyes posted a 3-0 record, defeating Maine, 9-2, on March 8, Georgetown, 7-2, on March 9, and West Virginia, 6-4, in 12 innings on Sunday. It is the first time Iowa has won three games at a three day tournament since sweeping three games at the Austin Peay Tournament in 2006.

Senior Matt Dermody and sophomores Sasha Kuebel and Nick Hibbing collected wins on the mound, while junior Taylor Zeutenhorst led the offense by hitting .556 (4-of-9) with a double, a triple, four runs, and three RBIs.

HAWKEYE DEBUTS
Seven Hawkeye newcomers made their Iowa debuts this season.

Five newcomers made their debut during a three-game series at Austin Peay. Freshman Blake Hickman made his collegiate debut Feb. 15,. Junior Trevor Kenyon, a junior college transfer, and freshmen Nick Roscetti and Josh Martsching saw their first action as a Hawkeye on Feb. 16. Freshman Calvin Mathews made his debut on Feb. 17, starting on the mound.

Freshmen Devin Pickett and Jimmy Frankos made their debuts March 2 at Arkansas-Little Rock, entering the contest off the bench.

KLEBERG CLASSIC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Three Hawkeyes — sophomores Taylor Kaufman, Kris Goodman and Sasha Kuebel — were named to the Kleberg Bank College Classic All-Tournament team. Kaufman hit .545 with six hits and two RBIs, Goodman had six hits and an RBI, and Kuebel limited Oklahoma to two runs on eight hits over eight innings in the opener.

BRAND STEPS UP IN 1ST START
Junior Keith Brand earned his first start of the season Feb. 24 at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, serving as the Hawkeyes’ designated hitter. Brand responded by delivering a double in the top of the eighth that plated the game-winning run.

A LINEUP FULL OF YOUTH
Nine of the 10 positional players, including the designated hitter, in Iowa’s opening day on Feb. 15 against Austin Peay were underclassmen.

Sophomore Sasha Kuebel opened the contest on the mound for the Hawkeyes.

Freshman Blake Hickman started at first base, while sophomores Jake Mangler, Nick Day, and Jake Yacinich started at second base, third base, and shortstop.

In the outfield, sophomores Kris Goodman, Eric Toole, and Taylor Kaufman started from left to right, while sophomore Ryan Rumpf was Iowa’s designated hitter.

Senior Dan Sheppard, who started at catcher, was the lone upperclassman in the lineup.

PRESEASON AWARDS
Two Hawkeyes earned preseason All-Big Ten honors. Sophomore Sasha Kuebel was a Preseason All-Big Ten pick by College Sports Madness and Perfect Game. Fellow sophomore Jake Yacinich joined Kuebel on College Sports Madness’ Preseason All-Big Ten list.

Kuebel, Yacinich and senior Dan Sheppard were named to the Big Ten Watch List.

ROSTER BREAKDOWN
-Of the 33-man roster, 24 are underclassmen. The Hawkeyes roster features 11 true freshmen, one redshirt freshman, 10 true sophomores, and two redshirt sophomores. Iowa has four juniors and five seniors.

-The Hawkeyes have 15 Iowa natives on its roster, the most of any state. Illinois is second with 10.

-Iowa boasts two sets of high school teammates. Senior Ben Bergman and sophomore Nick Day both prepped at Solon High School in Solon, Iowa, while freshmen Josh Martsching and Calvin Mathews both attended Davis County High School in Bloomfield, Iowa.

-The Hawkeyes return 19 letterwinners, seven starters, and six pitchers from their 2012 team.

NEW LOOK COACHING STAFF
For only the second time in University of Iowa head coach Jack Dahm’s tenure, there has been a shake-up in the Hawkeye coaching staff. Iowa will have a new hitting and pitching coach in 2013.

Zach Dillon will be the team’s hitting coach. Dillon joins the Hawkeyes as a full-time assistant after serving the 2012 season as a volunteer assistant at his alma mater Baylor. The former West Des Moines Dowling standout served as a volunteer assistant at Iowa in 2010 and 2011.

Veteran head coach Jim Brownlee joins the Hawkeyes as the interim pitching coach, returning to the college game after retiring at Illinois State in 2009. During his 30 years as a head coach, Brownlee won 854 games.

Former Hawkeye Brian Furlong is also new to the program, as he enters his first season as Iowa’s director of baseball operations. In the newly-created role, Furlong will serve as the director of the Iowa Baseball Academy, while serving as the team’s video and travel coordinator and assisting with on-campus recruiting.

Brian Miller returns for his second season in the Hawkeye dugout, serving as a volunteer assistant coach.

HAWKEYES SIGN 5 FOR 2014 SEASON
Head coach Jack Dahm signed a five-player recruiting class on Dec. 13. The five player class consists of Zach Burdi (6-3, 195, RHP, Downers Grove, Ill.), Kendall Coleman (6-4, 195, OF, Rockwall, Texas), Will Kenny (6-3, 190, LHP, Fort Dodge, Iowa/Iowa Central CC), Jake Reinhardt (6-2, 180, RHP, West Des Moines, Iowa), and Juan Carlos (JC) Pena (6-1, 185, SS, Syracuse, N.Y.) will join the UI program prior to the 2013-14 season. Burdi, Coleman, Reinhardt, and Pena are all considered top 500 players in the country by Perfect Game.

UNITY COUNCIL
The Unity Council for the 2013 season consists of senior Ricky Sandquist, redshirt junior Keith Brand, redshirt sophomore Jake Mangler, sophomores Jake Yacinich and Kris Goodman and freshman Devin Pickett. Yacinich and Goodman are also members of Iowa’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

SEASON TICKETS AVAILABLE
Hawkeye fans can purchase 2013 Iowa baseball season tickets now. Fans can reserve their own chair backs for the 2013 season by calling the UI Athletic Ticket Office at 1-800-IA-HAWKS. Reserved chair back season tickets are available for $25, while general admission season tickets are $15.

IOWA BASEBALL ACADEMY
The Iowa baseball program has expanded its camps and clinics through the offerings of the newly-created Iowa Baseball Academy.

The year-round training programs, camps and instruction will now be available to youth players ages 5-18. The academy will operate at Duane Banks Field and the Iowa athletic indoor facilities.

The Iowa Baseball Academy will strive to provide exceptional training programs to enhance player skills while teaching valuable lessons that strengthen the player’s lives. Year-round training programs provide an opportunity for players to build and develop baseball skills, while giving the Iowa baseball program a vehicle to add value to community programs and grow interest in the Hawkeyes.

For details about Iowa Baseball Academy, visit www.IowaBaseballAcademy.com.

THE HAWKEYES ON BTN
The University of Iowa baseball team will make 18 appearances on the Big Ten Network or BTN.com during the 2013 season.

The Hawkeyes will make their debut March 27 on BTN.com when they host Creighton at 6:05 p.m. (CT) at Duane Banks Field. Iowa’s three-game series against Indiana (March 29-31) will also be streamed on BTN.com.

Nonconference games against Western Illinois (April 2), Kansas (April 9-10), Kansas State (April 12-13) and Northern Illinois (April 24) will also be available online at BTN.com. Iowa will make its lone scheduled appearance on the BTN on April 26 beginning at 6:05 p.m.

In the month of May, seven games will be available on BTN.com, including games against Nebraska-Omaha (May 7), Michigan State (May 10-12), and at Purdue (May 16-18) to close out the regular season.

FOLLOW THE HAWKEYES
Iowa baseball fans can follow the Hawkeyes on Facebook by going to facebook.com/iowabaseball. Fans can also follow on Twitter @UIBaseball.

UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes continue Big Ten play March 5-7 when they host Nebraska in a three-game series at Duane Banks Field. Iowa and Nebraska open the series Friday at 6:05 p.m., before playing at 1:05 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. All times are Central.