Hawkeyes Host Final Home Series This Weekend

May 9, 2013

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Iowa Game Notes

THE MATCH-UP
? Iowa hosts its final home series, facing Michigan State on May 10-12 at Duane Banks Field. Friday’s game is slated to begin at 6:05 p.m., while first pitch for Saturday and Sunday’s contests are set for 1:05 p.m.

? The Hawkeyes are 5-12 at home this season, winning against Western Illinois (April 2), Nebraska (April 7), Kansas State (April 12), Northern Illinois (April 24), and Minnesota (April 26). The Spartans are 10-9 in away games this year, including a 5-4 victory at Western Michigan on Tuesday.

? Iowa owns a 5-13 Big Ten record, while Michigan State is 9-6 in conference play.

? Duane Banks Field goes 395 feet to center, and plays 329 feet down the left and right field lines.

ON THE RADIO
The Hawkeyes three-game series against Michigan State will be broadcast on the radio on AM-800 KXIC and AM-1360 KMJM. Brent Balbinot will handle the play-by-play, while Mark Stern (Friday), Steve Duncan (Saturday), and Zach Kenyon (Sunday) will provide color.

ON THE TUBE
Saturday’s game between Iowa and Michigan State will be broadcast on BTN. Eric Collins (play-by-play) and John Cangelosi (color commentary) will call the action.

ON THE WEB
Friday and Sunday’s games can be viewed live online at BTN.com. Hawkeye baseball fans can follow every game with live stats (GameTracker) on hawkeyesports.com. Click on the “GT” link found on both the front page and the baseball schedule page.

SUNDAY SENIOR DAY
Sunday’s game against Michigan State will serve as Senior Day, and the Hawkeyes will honor six individuals — five seniors and a redshirt junior. Seniors Ben Bergman (Solon, Iowa), Matt Dermody (Norwalk, Iowa), Andrew Hanse (Marion, Iowa), Ricky Sandquist (Fort Dodge, Iowa), and Dan Sheppard (Downers Grove, Ill.), and redshirt junior Keith Brand (Northbrook, Ill.) will all play their final game at Duane Banks Field .

WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
The UI Marketing Department will be offering multiple promotions and giveaways this weekend at Duane Banks Field. The first 500 kids (12 and under) who attend Friday’s game will receive a camouflage wristband, while all fans will have the chance to play baseball movie trivia for a prize. The Hawkeyes will also honor the Wounded Warrior Project and host the Hawkeye Classic Game on Friday. The first 150 kids (12 and under) at Saturday’s contest will receive a baseball Herky bobblehead, and all fans will have the opportunity to play baseball bingo.

THE SERIES
? Michigan State leads the all-time series, 75-59-1

? The Spartans took 2-of-3 from the Hawkeyes last season in East Lansing, winning the first and final game of the three-game series. Iowa won the middle game, 2-1, scoring one run in the eighth and ninth inning to post a come-from-behind victory.

? Iowa and Michigan State last met in Iowa City in 2011, playing a three-game series at Duane Banks Field. The Spartans won 2-of-3, taking the first two games of the series.

SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE
Michigan State enters the weekend with a 28-14 record that includes a 9-6 Big Ten mark and a 10-9 record in away games. MSU won two mid-week games earlier in the week, defeating Western Michigan, 5-4, on Tuesday and Eastern Michigan, 6-3, on Wednesday.

The Spartans are hitting .287 as a team, ranking third in the Big Ten. Sophomore Blaise Salter and senior Jordan Keur rank No. 1-2 on the team in batting average at .338 and .337, while Salter and sophomore Jimmy Pickens are tied for the team-lead in hits (51). Pickens paces the club with seven home runs and 32 RBIs, ranking third in the conference in home runs.

Michigan State plans to pitch senior RHP Andrew Waszak (Friday), junior RHP David Garner (Saturday), and sophomore RHP Mick VanVossen (Sunday) this weekend. Waszak is 5-2 with a 2.41 ERA in 11 starts, Garner is 4-3 with a 3.82 ERA in 12 starts, and VanVossen is 3-2 with a 3.43 ERA in nine starts.

The Spartans are coached by Jake Boss, Jr., who is in his fifth season at the helm of the program. Boss began his collegiate coaching career at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, Iowa, serving as an assistant coach in 1996 and 1997.

HAWKEYES FALL IN FINAL MID-WEEK GAME
Nebraska Omaha scored in each of the first four innings before staving off an Iowa rally to win 6-5 Tuesday night at Duane Banks Field. The victory gave the Mavericks a series win over the Hawkeyes, winning 3-of-5 games this season. Iowa had nine hits, two apiece by sophomores Taylor Kaufman and Anthony Torres.

IMPRESSIVE OPPONENTS
The Hawkeyes have played a tough schedule so far this season, as 12 of their nonconference opponents rank fourth or better in their respective conferences. Iowa owns an 11-18 record against those opponents.

New Mexico (Mountain West), Wichita State (Missouri Valley), Maine (America East), Nebraska Omaha (Summit), Northern Illinois (MAC West Division), and Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Horizon) currently lead their conferences, while Texas A&M Corpus Christi is tied for second in the Southland Conference and Austin Peay is tied for fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference. Big 12 foes Oklahoma, Kansas State, and West Virginia are all tied atop the conference standings, while Kansas ranks fourth.

In addition, three of the Hawkeyes’ six Big Ten series have been played against teams currently in the top four of the conference standings (Minnesota, Indiana, Nebraska).

LOOKING LIKE HIMSELF AGAIN
After struggling for much of the season, sophomore Sasha Kuebel returned to form May 4 at Michigan. Kuebel set career-highs in innings pitched (9 1/3) and strikeouts (8), taking a no-decision after allowing three runs on eight hits. The St. Louis native is 1-8 with a 5.62 ERA this season after going 6-0 with a 2.67 ERA as a freshman, earning second team All-Big Ten and Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America honors. Kuebel is expected to start Saturday against Michigan State.

TOOLE ON FIRE
Sophomore Eric Toole has been raking at the plate over the last 10 games. The Council Bluffs, Iowa, native has reached base safely in every contest, reaching base at a .522 clip and hitting .450 (18-of-40) with seven runs and four RBIs over the stretch. Toole has recorded five multi-hit game over the 10 games, collecting three hits on four occasions. Toole currently leads batting average (.316), runs scored (28), hits (49), total bases (56), and sacrifice bunts (8), and ranks second on the squad in slugging percentage (.361), on-base percentage (.409), doubles (5), and walks (21).

GETTING HIS CHANCE
After seeing limited action over the first 40 games of the season, junior Bryan Niedbalski has seen significant playing time over the last three games. Niedbalski has made the most of the opportunity, delivering a hit in each game and three RBIs. Niedbalski went 1-of-2 — his first hit of the season — with two RBIs on May 4 at Michigan, including a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the top of the 12th inning.

ROSCETTI ROLLING
Freshman Nick Roscetti has reached base in 17 consecutive games, the longest active streak by a Hawkeye. The 17-game stretch included an eight-game hitting streak from April 6-20. Roscetti’s batted 13-of-27 (.481) over the hitting streak, posting three-hit efforts against Kansas on April 9 and Penn State on April 20.

OUCH!
The Hawkeyes have been hit by 86 pitches this season, the most of any Big Ten team and the seventh-most nationally. Iowa leads second place Indiana by 25, as the Hoosiers have been plunked 61 times this season. The 86 hit-by-pitches ties a program record, set in the 2008 season.

Four Hawkeyes — juniors Keith Brand and Taylor Zeutenhorst and sophomores Kris Goodman and Jake Yacinich — rank in the top-11 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-high 20 times, ranking first in the conference. Zeutenhorst and Goodman have been plunked 10 times to tie for seventh in the conference, while Yacinich have been hit nine times, putting him in a tie for 11th 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. The seven hit-by-pitches set a new school record, breaking a six hit-by-pitch effort in 2009 against Austin Peay.

TURNING DP’S
The Hawkeyes have turned 51 double plays in 43 games this season, ranking second in the Big Ten behind Indiana (52) and ninth nationally. Iowa ranks sixth nationally in double plays per game (1.19).

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 20 pitches, the most of any Big Ten athlete and the sixth-most nationally. Brand leads the country in hit-by-pitches per game (0.59).

The 20 hit-by-pitches ties Kevin Hoef (2009) for the single-season record. Hoef set the record in 2008. He also owns career hit-by-pitch record, as he was plunked 62 times over his Hawkeye career (2006-09).

THE THIEF
Sophomore Eric Toole is 19-of-23 in stolen base attempts this season. Toole’s 19 swipes lead the team and are one off the Big Ten lead, placing him tied for third in the conference. The Council Bluffs, Iowa, native has stolen nine bases during Big Ten play (12 games), ranking tied for fourth in the conference.

WINNING ON THE MOUND
Senior pitcher Matt Dermody is tied for sixth in the Big Ten with six wins, falling one win shy of the conference lead. Dermody is 6-2 in 12 starts this season, picking up wins against Austin Peay (Feb. 16), Western Illinois (March 2), Georgetown (March 9), Nebraska-Omaha (March 17), Northwestern (March 23), and Kansas State (April 12). The Norwalk, Iowa, native has thrown 77 1/3 innings, the fifth-most among Big Ten pitchers, and leads the team with 53 strikeouts. His 53 strikeouts are tied for sixth in the conference.

Dermody’s six wins set a career high, besting the four wins he recorded during his sophomore season. Iowa has won eight of the 12 games in which Dermody has started .

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 24 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 29 career Big Ten starts. The Norwalk, Iowa, native has made six Big Ten starts in 2013 after starting eight Big Ten contests in 2011 and 2012.

THOU SHALT NOT STEAL
Junior catcher Keith Brand has caught 13 baserunners stealing this season, ranking fourth in Big Ten. As a team, the Hawkeyes have caught 28 baserunners trying to steal, which is tied with Michigan for the Big Ten lead.

ACTIVE REACHED BASE STREAKS
Three Hawkeyes have reached base in seven or more straight games.

? Freshman Nick Roscetti has reached base in 17-straight games, setting a season-best. The streak is the second longest by a Hawkeye this season, trailing only Taylor Kaufman’s 22-game streak Feb. 17-April 9.

? Sophomore Eric Toole is riding a 10-game reached base streak. It is the second-longest streak of the season for Toole, as he reeled off a 14-game streak earlier this season.

? Freshman Blake Hickman has reached base in seven straight games, tying a season-best.

NOT GOOD, BUT GRAND
Sophomore Kris Goodman blasted an eighth inning grand slam over the left field fence of Duane Banks Field in Iowa’s 10-9 come-from-behind win over Minnesota on April 26. The home run was the first of Goodman’s collegiate career, and the second home run by a Hawkeye this season. The bases-clearing bomb was the first grand slam by a Hawkeye since Feb. 20, 2010, when Mike McQuillan hit a grand slam in a 19-11 win over Illinois State.

SOPHOMORES DRIVING IN RUNS
Sophomores have accounted for 59.1 percent (101/171) of the Iowa’s RBIs this season. The top four run producers are sophomores, as Kris Goodman, Jake Yacinich, Jake Mangler, and Taylor Kaufman rank No. 1-3 on the team in RBIs.

Goodman paces the team with 23 RBIs, posting a team-high six multi-hit games. He has delivered 13 of the 23 RBIs in Big Ten play, the most of any Hawkeye.

Yacinich ranks second on the squad with 21 RBIs, despite missing nine games due to injury. He is hitting a team-best .360 (18-of-50) with runners in scoring position.

Mangler and Kaufman have both driven in 18 runs, tying them for third on the club.

SOPHOMORES SAVING
Sophomores Nick Hibbing and Taylor Kaufman share the team-lead with three saves. The three saves place Hibbing and Kaufman in a 10th-place tie in the Big Ten rankings. Hibbing and Kaufman have accounted for two-thirds of the team’s saves (6-of-9).

PROVIDING HELP IN THE FIELD
Sophomore Jake Mangler totaled eight fielding assists April 13 against Kansas State. Mangler became the first Hawkeye since Jason White on May 18, 2007, to record eight or more assists in a contest. Mangler leads the team with 125 assists this season.

SANDQUIST CONTINUES TO SHINE
Senior Ricky Sandquist 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 2.27 ERA and two saves. His 2.27 ERA is first among Iowa pitchers. The Fort Dodge, Iowa, native has allowed seven earned runs in 13 relief appearances, holding opponents scoreless in 10 of the 13 outings.

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 11th-most among Big Ten athletes.

IOWA IS…
? 10-2 when leading after six, 11-2 after seven, and 14-1 after eight innings.
? 11-1 when holding opponents to less than two runs.
? 10-3 when out-hitting its opponent.
? 4-2 when committing zero errors.
? 3-0 when scoring 10 or more runs.
? 9-8 against left-handed starters and 8-18 against righties.

IOWA IN EXTRA-INNINGS
Iowa is 4-1 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, before downing Minnesota, 10-9, in 10 innings April 26 and Michigan, 4-3, in 12 innings on May 4. The Hawkeyes have outscored opponents 8-1 in extra-innings.

1-RUN GAMES UNDER DAHM
During Jack Dahm’s 10-year tenure at Iowa, the Hawkeyes have played 134 one-run games. Iowa is 62-72 in such contests. The Hawkeyes are 5-6 in one-run games this season, defeating Northwestern, 2-1, on March 23, Nebraska, 6-5, on April 7, Northern Illinois, 3-2, on April 24, Minnesota, 10-9, on April 26, and Michigan, 4-3, on May 4. Iowa’s last four games have been decided by one run.

KENYON’S NINE-GAME HIT STREAK
Junior Trevor Kenyon recorded a nine-game hitting streak from March 30-April 12, the longest streak by a Hawkeye this season. Kenyon hit .421 (16-of-38) over the stretch with five doubles, a triple, and 10 RBIs. The Davenport, Iowa, native posted two or more hits in six of the nine contests, including a season-high three hits April 6 against Nebraska.

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 513 career victories, winning 283 games at Creighton from 1994-2003 and 230 games at Iowa, beginning in 2004. His 230 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 11 FOR 2014 SEASON
The Hawkeyes have 11 players signed to join the program for the 2013-14 season.

Head coach Jack Dahm signed five players on Dec. 13. The five player class consisted 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.).

Dahm announced the signing of six more recruits in May, adding Matt Allen (6-1, 170, RHP, Buffalo Grove, Ill.), Tanner Hinkle (5-10, 165, IF/OF, West Des Moines, Iowa), Will Polley (6-5, 230, RHP, River Forest, Ill./Parkland College), Jason Samuelson (5-10, 165, OF, Rochester, Minn.), Jake Sharp (6-1, 225, RHP, Rock Island, Ill./Black Hawk College) and Brandon Shulista (5-10, 180, RHP, Solon, Iowa/Iowa Central CC).

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.

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.

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 will close out Big Ten and regular season play May 16-18 at Purdue. The three-game series will open with 6:00 p.m. (CT) games Thursday and Friday, before concluding with a noon (CT) match-up Saturday.