Hawkeyes Set to Play K-State in Iowa City and Des Moines

April 10, 2013

• Read the April issue of Hawk Talk Monthly
• 2013 Iowa Baseball Media Guide
• Download your Iowa Hawkeye iPhone/iPad app!
• Download your Iowa Hawkeye Android app!
• Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
• 24 Hawkeyes to Watch

Iowa Game Notes

THE MATCH-UP
? The Hawkeyes will play a three-game series against Kansas State on April 12-14. The first two games of the series will be played at Duane Banks Field, with action beginning at 3:05 p.m. (CT) Friday and 1:05 p.m. (CT) Saturday.

? The series finale will be played Sunday at Principal Park in Des Moines, Iowa, home of the Iowa Cubs, the Chicago Cubs Triple-A affiliate. The game is slated to begin approximately 50 minutes following the conclusion of the I-Cubs game that begins at 1:05 p.m. (CT).

? Duane Banks Field goes 395 feet to dead center, and plays 329 feet down the left and right field lines. Iowa is 2-6 at home this season, winning against Western Illinois (April 2) and Nebraska (April 7).

? The Hawkeyes last played at Principal Park in 2008, facing the Iowa Cubs in an exhibition. It was the third exhibition meeting between Iowa and the I-Cubs, as the teams also played in 2004 and 2006.

THE RADIO
The Hawkeyes three-game series against Kansas State 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 Friday and Saturday. Zach Kenyon will provide color on Sunday.

ON THE WEB
The first two games of Iowa’s three-game set with Kansas State will be broadcast live online at BTN.com. Fans can follow all three games 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
Hawkeye fans will have the chance to enjoy a pair of promotions at Duane Banks Field during the first two games of a three-game series against Kansas State. Fans are encouraged to wear gold to Friday’s contest, as it is the “Be Bold, Wear Gold”game. Fans will also get the opportunity to play baseball movie trivia for a prize. Saturday is “Hawaiian Day” at the ballpark, and the first 100 fans in attendance will receive black and gold leis and a pair of sunglasses.

THE SERIES
Kansas State has won the last four meetings and holds a one-game advantage, 7-6, in the series between the Hawkeyes and Wildcats. The teams last met in 1999, as Kansas State won 5-4. Iowa last defeated the Wildcats in 1995, winning 6-2.

SCOUTING KANSAS STATE
Kansas State enters the weekend with a 24-10 record that includes a six-game winning streak. The Wildcats are 5-1 against Big Ten opponents, taking 2-of-3 against Minnesota and winning two match-ups against Nebraska.

The Wildcats are dangerous offensively, ranking third nationally in hitting with a .330 team average. K-State has eight regulars that hit .320 or better and have 20 or more RBIs. Junior Blair DeBord paces the team with a .385 batting average, while classmate Ross Kivett has tallied a team-best 34 hits and ranks second on the squad with a .381 batting average. Juniors Jared King and R.J. Santigate, and sophomore Austin Fisher share a team-lead with 24 RBIs. Sophomore Shane Conlon and senior Jon Davis are No. 1 and 2 on the team in home runs, as Conlon has hit six bombs and Davis has hit five, respectively.

Lefthander Joe Flattery, and righthanders Matt Wivinis and Blake McFadden will make-up Kansas State’s three-man rotation against the Hawkeyes. Flattery is 2-2 with a 4.34 ERA in eight starts, tossing 45 2/3 innings. Wivinis owns a 5-1 mark in eight starts, registering a 4.20 ERA over 49 1/3 innings. McFadden has made nine appearances, including five starts. He is 3-1 with a 3.54 ERA.

Kansas State is coached by Brad Hill, who is in his 10th season at the helm of the Wildcat program.

ON THE HORIZON
The Hawkeyes travel to Papillon, Neb., for a mid-week game with Nebraska-Omaha on April 16. The game will be played at Werner Park, a 6,434 seat stadium built in 2011.

Iowa and UNO have already met this season, playing a three-game series in Wichita, Kan., on March 16-18. The Mavericks won 2-of-3. The Hawkeyes won the middle game of the three-game set, 4-1, behind a strong pitching effort by senior Matt Dermody. Dermody allowed one run on five hits in 7 1/3 innings, striking out a season-high eight batters.

RAIN CANCELS SERIES FINALE VS. KU
The Hawkeyes scheduled April 10 game against Kansas was canceled due to overnight thunderstorms and the projected forecast at game time.

The Jayhawks won the first game of the scheduled two-game series, 8-3, on April 9 at Duane Banks Field. Sophomore Kris Goodman and freshman Nick Roscetti both went 3-for-4 at the plate for the Hawkeyes.

SWINGING THE STICK
The Hawkeyes have been swinging a hot bat lately, recording 10 or more hits in five straight contests and in seven of the last eight games. Iowa’s best output over the stretch came April 6 against Nebraska, tallying 14 hits. The 14 hits are the second-most in a game this season, falling one short of a season-high 15 hits recorded Feb. 16 at Austin Peay.

THRIVING AGAINST LEFTIES
Five of Iowa’s regulars thrive against left-handed pitching. Sophomore Taylor Kaufman leads the team with a .440 (11-of-25) average against southpaws, while Keith Brand (.417; 5-of-12), Kris Goodman (.370, 10-of-27), Eric Toole (.350, 7-of-20), and Jake Yacinich (.333, 9-of-27) hit above .333.

TURNING 2
The Hawkeyes have turned 34 double plays through 27 games this season, ranking 34th nationally. Iowa ranks 11th in double plays per game (1.15). The Hawkeyes last double play sealed a victory, as they turned a 4-6-3 double play with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning April 7 against Nebraska to secure a 6-5 win.

OUCH!
The Hawkeyes have been hit by 54 pitches this season, the most of any Big Ten team. Iowa leads second place Indiana by 13, as the Hoosiers have been plunked 41 times this season.

Four Hawkeyes — senior Keith Brand, junior Taylor Zeutenhorst and sophomores Kris Goodman and Jake Yacinich — rank in the top-eight in the Big Ten in hit-by-pitches. Brand has been hit three times in a game on three occasions (UALR, Maine, UNO) en route to getting plunked a team and conference-high 14 times. Zeutenhorst, Goodman, and Yacinich have all been hit seven times, placing them tied for eighth 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.

ROSCETTI SHINES AGAINST KANSAS
Freshman Nick Roscetti had the best game of his brief Hawkeye career April 9 against Kansas, going 3-for-4 at the plate with a run scored. The three hits were a season best, and marked the third time this season Roscetti has recorded two or more hits in a game. The Sherman, Ill., native is hitting .306 this season with two runs scored and three RBIs. He has seen his playing time increase over the past 11 games, starting nine of the 11 contests. Roscetti did not record a start in the Hawkeyes’ first 16 games.

B1G WINS LEADER
Senior pitcher Matt Dermody is tied for first in the Big Ten with five wins. Dermody in 5-1 in eight 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 52 1/3 innings, the seventh-most among Big Ten pitchers, and leads the team with 34 strikeouts. His 34 strikeouts are tied for 10th in the conference.

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

Dermody recorded his third career complete game 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 20 career Big Ten starts, including Big Ten Tournament play, ranking third among active Big Ten pitchers. Dermody trails Penn State’s Steven Hill and Illinois’ Kevin Johnson, who have both made 26 career Big Ten starts . The Norwalk, Iowa, native has made three Big Ten starts in 2013 after starting eight Big Ten contests in 2011 and 2012.

THE HUMAN MAGNET
Junior Keith Brand has been prone to getting plunked by opposing pitchers this season. The Northbrook, Ill., native has been hit by 14 pitches, the most of any Big Ten athlete and the sixth-highest total nationally. Brand ranks first nationally in hit-by-pitches per game.

The 14 hit-by-pitches is the sixth-highest season total in program history, tying Kurtis Muller (2008) and Kevin Hoef (2007). Hoef holds the single season and career hit-by-pitch record, as he was plunked 20 times in 2008 and 62 times over his Hawkeye career (2006-09).

THE IRON MAN
Sophomore Kris Goodman is the only Hawkeye to start all 27 games this season, starting 13 games in left field, 11 in right field, and three in center field. Goodman made 22 starts as a freshman, starting 14 games in center field and seven in left. Classmates Jake Mangler and Taylor Kaufman have each started 25 contests, the second-most on the team.

A TOUGH OUT
Sophomore Jake Mangler has been a tough out for opposing pitchers. The Clinton, Iowa, native ranks 20th nationally in the toughest to strike out category, which divides a players’ plate appearances by his strikeouts. Mangler has struck out six times in 102 at-bats, giving him a score of 14.0. Mangler is hitting .255 with 12 runs scored and 11 RBIs this season.

THE THIEF
Sophomore Eric Toole is 13-of-15 in stolen base attempts this season. Toole’s 13 swipes are a team-best and are three off the Big Ten lead, placing him tied for third among Big Ten athletes. The Council Bluffs, Iowa, native has stolen six bases during Big Ten play (nine games), ranking second in the conference.

KENYON PROVIDES POP
Junior Trevor Kenyon has provided a much-needed lift to the middle of the Iowa batting order since being inserted into the starting lineup March 30 against Indiana. The Davenport, Iowa, native has played at first base and hit fourth in all eight contests. Kenyon is 15-for-34 (.411) with four doubles, a triple, and 10 RBIs over the stretch, raising his batting average by 208 points (.154 to .362). His .362 average is tops on the team.

Kenyon has tallied a hit in all eight games and has delivered two hits in six of the eight contests, including a season-best three hits April 6 against Nebraska.

Kenyon is hitting .414 (12-of-29) with eight RBIs in Big Ten play, ranking seventh in RBIs and 10th in bating average.

STARTING OFF WITH A BANG
Sophomore Eric Toole, the Hawkeyes lead-off hitter, has been on a tear as of late. The Council Bluffs, Iowa, native is hitting at a .361 (17-of-47) clip with 10 runs and six stolen bases over the 11 games, collecting a hit in nine of the last 11 contests. The stretch includes six multi-hit games and two three-hit performances.

Toole has reached base in 22 of the Hawkeyes’ last 23 games, including the last eight games and a career-best 14 game streak from Feb. 16-March 23.

SANDQUIST RETURNS
Senior Ricky Sandquist has made two relief appearances over the last five games, his first action since suffering an arm injury over three weeks ago. It has been a big lift to the Hawkeye bullpen, as the Fort Dodge, Iowa, native has been spectacular this season after making an adjustment to his pitching mechanics, going to a 3/4 arm slot.

Sandquist is 1-0 with a 1.73 ERA . He has allowed two earned runs in seven relief appearances, holding opponents scoreless in six of the seven outings. Sandquist collected his first save April 7 against Nebraska, inducing a 4-6-3 double play to end the game. 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.

LEGGING OUT TRIPLES
Junior Taylor Zeutenhorst has 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 fifth-most among Big Ten athletes.

GOOD(MAN) HITTING
Sophomore Kris Goodman has been one of the Hawkeyes top offensive threats this season, leading the team in hits (39), runs scored (21), and total bases (42). The Apple Valley, Minn., native ranks second on the team with a .361 batting average. The .361 batting average ranks eighth in the Big Ten, while his 39 hits are tied for eighth among conference athletes.

Goodman has posted a team-best 10 multi-hit games, including a career-best three hits on six different occasions. His last multi-hit performance came in the Hawkeyes most recent game on April 9 against Kansas. Goodman went 3-of-4 against the Jayhawks.

BRINGING THEM HOME
Sophomore Jake Yacinich paces the Hawkeyes with 17 RBIs and is hitting .378 (14-of-37) with runners in scoring position.

Yacinich has 30 hits this season, ranking second on the team. He is also second on the squad with nine multi-hit games, which includes three career-best three-hit contests (W. Illinois, Omaha, Nebraska).

DON’T RUN ON SHEPPARD
Senior Dan Sheppard has caught six base runners attempting to steal this season. The mark is tied for eighth 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 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.

IOWA IS…
? 6-0 when leading after six, 7-0 after seven, and 10-0 after eight innings.
? 7-2 when out-hitting its opponent.
? 2-0 when committing zero errors.
? 2-0 when scoring 10 or more runs.
? 4-4 against left-handed starters and 7-12 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 127 one-run games. Iowa is 59-68 in such contests. The Hawkeyes are 2-2 in one-run games this season, defeating Northwestern, 2-1, on March 23, and Nebraska, 6-5, on April 7.

KAUFMAN REACHES BASE IN 22 STRAIGHT
Sophomore Taylor Kaufman reached base safely in 22 consecutive games, setting a new career best. The streak began Feb. 17 at Austin Peay during the opening weekend of the 2013 season and ended April 9 against Kansas. Kaufman’s streak was the longest by a Hawkeye since 2010 when Mike McQuillan ended the season with a 23-game reached base streak.

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 507 career victories, winning 283 games at Creighton from 1994-2003 and 224 games at Iowa, beginning in 2004. His 224 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.

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.

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 has a new hitting and pitching coach in 2013.

Zach Dillon is 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.

DRAFTED PLAYERS ON THE 2013 ROSTER
Six current Hawkeyes have been drafted by in Major League Baseball’s First-Year Play Draft. The following players have been drafted:

Matt Dermody

• 2009 – Pittsburgh Pirates, 26th round (775th pick)
• 2011 – Colorado Rockies, 29th round (888th pick)
• 2012 – Arizona Diamondbacks, 23rd round (723rd pick)

Nick Hibbing

• 2011 – Pittsburgh Pirates, 42nd round (1,262nd pick)

Blake Hickman

• 2012 – Chicago Cubs, 20th round (614th pick)

Sasha Kuebel

• 2011 – Oakland Athletics, 31st round (946th pick)

Dan Sheppard

• 2009 – Chicago Cubs, 30th round (920th pick)

Taylor Zeutenhorst

• 2010 – Philadelphia Phillies, 41st round (1,251st pick)

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.

Nonconference games against 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.