Iowa Hosts Milwaukee Tuesday Night

April 29, 2013

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa baseball team hosts Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Tuesday at Duane Banks Field beginning at 5:05 p.m. (CT). The game was originally scheduled for a 6:05 p.m. start but was moved up due to the projected weather forecast.

The game will be the 16th meeting in the all-time series between the two schools with the Panthers holding an 8-7 advantage. The Hawkeyes were victorious last season, downing Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 10-9, in Iowa City.

The Horizon League-leading Panthers are riding a five-game winning streak to improve their record to 18-16 overall and 11-4 in conference action. Wisconsin-Milwaukee swept its three-game home series against Illinois-Chicago last weekend, outscoring the Flames, 22-9, to open up a four-game advantage in the standings.

UWM opened the winning streak with a 5-0 victory over Northwestern at Miller Park, the home of Major League Baseball’s Milwaukee Brewers.

The Hawkeyes bring a 16-22 overall record into the midweek matchup after dropping 2-of-3 to Big Ten-leading Minnesota last weekend in Iowa City. Iowa has won its last two midweek contests, downing Nebraska-Omaha (3-0) on April 16 and Northern Illinois (3-2) on April 24.

Freshman right-hander Calvin Mathews will make his ninth start for Iowa. The Bloomfield, Iowa, native is 2-4 with a 4.58 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings. Mathews is 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA in mid-week starts with victories over Western Illinois (April 2) and Nebraska-Omaha (April 16).

The Panthers will counter with right-hander Brian Keller, who will be making his first collegiate start. The freshman hasn’t been involved in a decision in nine appearances this season, where he has posted a 7.53 ERA over 14 1/3 innings pitch. Keller has given up 16 runs on 22 hits with nine strikeouts to 10 walks.

Wisconsin-Milwaukee third baseman Sam Koenig was named the Co-Horizon League Hitter of the Week on Monday after hitting .500 with three doubles, five runs and six RBIs. Iowa’s Eric Toole batted .500 in the three-game set against Minnesota, finishing 7-of-14 with three runs and an RBI.

Iowa returns to Big Ten action Friday in Ann Arbor, Mich., facing Michigan at 5:05 p.m. (CT).