Iowa Heads to Ohio State for B1G Series

May 2, 2014

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Game Notes — at Ohio State (May 3-5)

THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa baseball team travels to Columbus, Ohio, from May 3-5 for a Big Ten Conference series at Ohio State. Saturday and Sunday’s games will begin at 2:05 p.m. (CT), while Monday’s series finale will start at 6:05 p.m. The games will be played on Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium.

GAME COVERAGE
Saturday’s series opener will be streamed live via the Big Ten Digital Network before Sunday and Monday’s games will be televised live on the Big Ten Network with Kevin Kugler and Scott Pose calling the action. Iowa game audio, courtesy of Brent Balbinot, will be streamed live online via Hawkeye All-Access at hawkeyesports.com. Sunday’s game will be broadcast on AM-800 KXIC.

LIVE STATS/TWITTER
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. Live game updates are also available on Twitter: @UIBaseball.

SCOUTING OHIO STATE
? The Buckeyes are 5-5 in their last 10 games and 20-25 overall, but Ohio State has won its last three series. The Buckeyes took 2-of-3 games from Penn State, Murray State and Purdue the last three weekends.
? Ohio State is hitting .272 as a team with Ronnie Dawson leading the squad with a .344 average. Troy Kuhn paces the Buckeyes in runs (34), doubles (11), home runs (5) and RBIs (31).
? The Buckeyes are fourth in the Big Ten with a 3.48 team ERA over 405 2/3 innings and have 273 strikeouts against 128 walks. Ohio State will hand the ball to freshman LHP Tanner Tully (4-2, 2.24 ERA, 34 K, 4 BB) on Saturday, junior LHP Ryan Riga (4-1, 3.02 ERA, 40 K, 13 BB) on Sunday and senior RHP Greg Greve (5-3, 3.48 ERA) on Monday. OSU closer Trace Dempsey is 1-3 with a 5.33 ERA this season with six saves.

THE SERIES
? The Hawkeyes lead the all-time series over Ohio State, 76-69-1, but the two programs haven’t met since 2011.
? Iowa has won the last two series over the Buckeyes, winning 2-of-3 games in Columbus in 2011 and 2-of-3 in Iowa City in 2010. Ohio State’s last series win over the Hawkeyes came in 2009 when it swept the three-game series.

QUICK HITTERS
? Iowa won its fourth-straight series, sweeping visiting South Dakota State last weekend in Iowa City. Since dropping three games to Indiana from April 5-7, the Hawkeyes have taken series from Kansas, Northwestern, Minnesota and South Dakota State. The series win over Minnesota was the first since 2005.
? Iowa is 25-15 overall — the best record through 40 since 2007. The Hawkeyes won 23 games in 2013.
? Iowa is 7-3 in its last 10 games, hitting .331 as a team and averaging 7.1 runs per game.
? Junior Nick Day has scored at least one run in 17-of-the-last-18 games, including a stretch of 12-straight from March 29-April 15. Day has a career-high 35 runs scored this season. He is also riding a 10-game hitting streak.
? Junior Jake Yacinich has converted 22-of-24 stolen base attempts this season, which leads the Big Ten and ranks 19th nationally. Yacinich hasn’t been caught stealing since March 22 — he is 9-for-9 since.
? Iowa averages 6.7 runs per game — a figure that leads the Big Ten and ranks 21st nationally.
? The Hawkeyes have eight home runs in their last 10- games and five in their last six contests. Prior to the outburst, Iowa had not hit a homer for a stretch of 13 games since connecting on three March 17 against Otterbein.
? Sophomore Tyler Peyton became the fifth Hawkeye to tally a four-hit game this season, finishing 4-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored in a 4-3 victory over South Dakota State.
? Fourteen of Iowa’s 19 home runs have been hit on the road. The Hawkeyes connected for three long balls — their first home runs of the season at Banks Field — against Minnesota before hitting two homers against South Dakota State.
? Yacinich has five of his seven extra base hits over the last 13 games, including three triples and a home run. The junior’s four triples are tied for the Big Ten lead and 39th nationally.
? Sophomore Blake Hickman struck out a career-high eight batters in four innings April 25 against South Dakota State. The right-hander has pitched 8 2/3 scoreless innings in his last three appearances, allowing eight hits and striking out 11.
? Junior Nick Hibbing made his first start of the season (fourth of his career) April 26 against South Dakota State. He allowed two runs on six hits over 2 2/3 innings.
? Sophomore Jared Mandel has allowed zero runs and just one hit in his last three appearances (3 innings). He had a career-best three strikeouts against South Dakota State on April 25.
? Iowa is tops in the Big Ten in batting average, on-base percentage, runs, hits, RBIs, doubles and steals, while ranking second in slugging, home runs, total bases and walks. In Big Ten play, the Hawkeyes rank in the top-three in nine categories.

HEDRICK STEPPING IN
Junior Andrew Hedrick will make first weekend start since March 16 and his sixth start of the season Saturday against Ohio State in place of an injured Calvin Mathews. Hedrick pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings in relief April 26 against South Dakota State, allowing a pair of hits. It was his first appearance since April 9. The southpaw is 1-2 with a 5.75 ERA in five starts this season and 3-2 with a 4.67 ERA overall.

ROLLIN’
The Hawkeye offense has pounded out 10 or more hits in 11 of their last 12 games, including five-straight contests dating back to April 19. Iowa has 23 games with 10 or more hits this season. The Hawkeyes are hitting .339 as a team during the stretch, averaging 7.3 runs per game. Iowa is 9-3 over the 12-games.

SITTING EM’ DOWN
During a 2-1, 11-inning victory over South Dakota State on April 25, four Hawkeye pitchers — Calvin Mathews (3), Blake Hickman (8), Jared Mandel (3) and Tyler Radtke (4) — combined to strike out 19 Jackrabbits. The 19 strikeouts are the most by a Big Ten team in a single game this season.

GOING DEEP
Senior Taylor Zeutenhorst hit his team and Big Ten-leading eighth and ninth home runs of the season April 26 against South Dakota State. It was the first two-homer game by a Hawkeye since Sean Flanagan in 2012. Zeutenhorst’s nine home runs are the most since 2009 (Wes Freie) and rank as the 22nd-most nationally. The last Hawkeye to finish with a double-digit home run total was Jason White (10) in 2007.

PEYTON TAKES OVER TEAM LEAD
On the strength of a 7-for-11 (.636) weekend against South Dakota State, sophomore Tyler Peyton has taken over the team lead with a .346 batting average, which ranks fifth in the Big Ten. The first baseman went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored in a 4-3 win over the Jackrabbits on April 26, which included hitting the game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning.

TOP-50 NATIONALLY
The Hawkeyes are among the top-50 nationally in batting average (17th- .303), on-base percentage (17th – .392), scoring (21st – 6.7), slugging percentage (37th – .405), steals (41st – 65), runs (46th – 266), hit by pitch (47th – 61) and sacrifice flies (49th – 22).

EXTRA BASES
Iowa is on pace for 130 extra base hits in 2014, which would be the most for the program since the 2010 season. Iowa has 69 doubles, 10 triples and 19 home runs this season. The Hawkeyes are on pace for 91 doubles, 13 triples and 25 home runs.

A DEEP LINEUP
Iowa has seven players with 20 or more RBIs this season and seven every day players hitting .300 or better. The Hawkeyes had two players finish with 20+ RBIs last season. Iowa also has seven players with 10 or more multi-hit games, including 18 from junior Eric Toole.

AN ACE IN THE PEN
Since the beginning of Big Ten play, sophomore Tyler Radtke has been Iowa’s bullpen ace (and he took over as closer during series at Michigan). The right-hander has allowed zero runs in 11-of-13 appearances since March 22, posting a 2.89 ERA over 18 2/3 innings. He allowed six runs (all coming in two outings) on 15 hits with 20 strikeouts against eight walks. Radtke went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA, throwing 3 2/3 hitless innings against South Dakota State on April 25-26. He is 2-2 with a 4.60 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 29 1/3 innings this season.

MR. CLUTCH
With runners in scoring position, junior Jake Mangler is hitting .382 (21-of-55) and he has a .810 (17 RBIs, 21 opp.) clip with runners on third with less than two outs. Mangler’s clutch hitting has resulted in a career-best 35 RBIs — 13 coming with two outs — to go along with a team-high 10 multi-RBI contests. The 34 RBIs are tied for fourth in the Big Ten.

STAYING THE COURSE
Since getting lit up for five runs on seven hits in 1/3 of an inning in a 14-3 loss against Indiana on April 6, junior Sasha Kuebel has stayed the course. The southpaw is 3-0 with a 2.51 ERA over his last four appearances (three starts).
? He pitched a complete game shutout in a 5-0 win at Northwestern, scattering eight hits and striking out six.
? Kuebel gave up four runs in the first and one in the second against Minnesota before settling in, holding the Gophers scoreless over the final five innings en route to his fourth victory.
? Kuebel picked up his team-leading fifth victory, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits over seven innings against South Dakota State. He had six strikeouts against two walks in the start.
? Kuebel is 5-3 with a 4.83 ERA in 13 appearances (11 starts). He has pitched into the seventh four of his last five starts and has four quality starts this season.

YACINICH REBOUNDS
After enduring a six-game (March 28-April 6) stretch where he collected two hits in 23 at-bats, junior Jake Yacinich has rebounded and then some. The shortstop has 23 hits in his last 50 at-bats over his last 13 games, which includes seven multi-hit games. During the stretch… ? Yacinich has hits in 12-of-13 games, including seven multi-hit contests.
? He posted his second four-hit game of the season and career, going 4-for-5 with three runs April 9 vs. Kansas.
? He went 3-for-4 with a triple in game one at Northwestern before going 2-for-4 with a triple and home run in game two. He became the first Hawkeye since T.J. Caltaldo in 2008 to hit triples in back-to-back games. The home run was also the first of his Iowa career.
? Yacinich went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs, including hitting a go-ahead two-run triple in a four-run sixth inning in an 11-5 win over Minnesota.
? Since his average dipped to a season-low .279 on April 6, Yacinich has improved his average by 59 points to .338, ranking 10th in the Big Ten.

FRANKOS TAKING HOLD
Sophomore Jimmy Frankos started the season as Iowa’s third-string catcher, but he has ascended to the top of the depth chart and has run with it. Frankos earned his first significant playing time following an injury to starting catcher Trevor Kenyon and all he has done since is hit. The Illinois native is hitting .388 over his last 14 games, with 10 runs and five RBIs. He has six multi-hit games during the stretch, including a 4-for-5 performance in an April 19 win over Minnesota. Frankos is hitting .365 (19-of-52) this season and .448 (13-of-29) in Big Ten play.

FRIDAY NIGHT ACE
? Sophomore Calvin Mathews left his April 25 start against South Dakota State after 3 1/3 innings with a shoulder injury. His prognosis remains unclear.
? Mathews has allowed three or fewer earned runs in 10 of his 11 starts and he has pitched into at least the seventh inning five times. He has a team-best six quality starts this season.
? Mathews tossed his first career complete game, scattering six hits and allowing two runs in a 3-2 victory over Michigan on March 28. The right-hander tied a career-high with nine strikeouts against zero walks en route to being named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week and Big Ten Player of the Week by College Sports Madness.
? It was Iowa’s first complete game since Matt Dermody accomplished the feat in a 2-1 victory at Northwestern on March 23, 2013.
? Mathews has pitched into the eighth inning in four starts and has at least eight strikeouts in three games.
? Mathews scattered three hits in a 13-1 win over Georgetown and struck out a career-high nine batters on March 15 before allowing one run six hits with five strikeouts in his first career Big Ten start against Nebraska.
? Mathews leading the Big Ten in strikeouts looking (21), is second in overall strikeouts (59), third in opposing batting average (.221), ninth in innings (69.1), and 11th in ERA (2.86).

GIVING HIS TEAM A CHANCE TO WIN
? Sophomore Tyler Peyton missed his April 26 start after leaving his April 20 start with a strain in his lat muscle. He is day-to-day.
? Peyton has five quality starts, allowing three or fewer runs in six outings and pitching into the seventh inning six times. He has a 4-0 record with a 4.38 ERA in 10 starts as the team’s Sunday starter.
? Peyton’s last three starts have been “quality starts” and he is 1-0 with a 2.21 ERA during the stretch. He has allowed five runs on 18 hits over 20 1/3 innings against No. 24 Indiana, Northwestern and Minnesota. He is limiting batters to a .231 average during the stretch.
? The right-hander shut down the Hoosiers on April 7, limiting IU’s potent offense to five hits and one run in seven innings, but wasn’t factored in the decision. In his next start, pitching on short rest, April 12 at Northwestern, Peyton allowed one run on four hits over seven innings in an 8-1 victory.
? Peyton had a career-best 10-strikeout game March 16 against Saint Joseph’s in just 5 2/3 innings. The 10 strikeouts are tied for the Big Ten single game high this season and are the most by a Hawkeye pitcher since Brock Alberts struck out 10 against Xavier on Feb. 29, 2008.
? Peyton is seventh in the Big Ten in opposing batting average (.236).

IOWA QUALITY STARTS LOG (16)
2/22 — Hedrick vs. St. Bonav. (6.2 IP, 0 ER, 7 K)
2/23 – Peyton vs. Omaha (8 IP, 1 ER, 6K)
2/28 – Mathews at Stetson (7.1 IP, 0 ER, 2 K)
3/2 – Peyton vs. Furman (7 IP, 2 ER, 4 K)
3/15 – Mathews vs. G’town (8 IP, 0 ER, 9 K)
3/17 – Kuebel vs. Otterbein (7 IP, 3 ER, 3 K)
3/21 – Mathews vs. Nebraska (8 IP, 1 ER, 5 K)
3/28 – Mathews at Michigan (9 IP, 2 ER, 9 K)
3/29 – Kuebel at Michigan (7 IP, 1 ER, 8 K)
4/7 – Peyton vs. Indiana (7 IP, 1 ER, 4 K)
4/11 – Mathews vs. Northwestern (6 IP, 3 ER, 6 K)
4/12 – Peyton vs. Northwestern (7 IP, 1 ER, 3 K)
4/12 – Kuebel vs. Northwestern (9 IP, 0 ER, 6 K)
4/18 – Mathews vs. Minnesota (7 IP, 3 ER, 2 K)
4/20 – Peyton vs. Minnesota (6.1 IP, 3 ER, 2 K)
4/26 – Kuebel vs. S. Dakota St. (7 IP, 2 ER, 6 K)

WALK-OFF WINS
The Hawkeyes have posted four walk-off victories in 2014, coming from behind to defeat Maine (March 1) and Nebraska (March 21) before edging South Dakota State on April 25-26.
? Iowa trailed 12-11 entering its final at-bat against the Black Bears before the Hawkeyes scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to post a 13-12 victory. With the bases loaded, junior Jake Mangler laced an opposite field game-winning RBI single to right center field.
? Iowa trailed Nebraska 1-0 heading into its final at-bat before the Hawkeyes used a one-out walk and three-straight singles to win the game. Junior Taylor Kaufman delivered a pinch-hit RBI single to tie the game and senior Trevor Kenyon singled home the winning run with a single to left field.
? Iowa had back-to-back walk-off victories April 25 and April 26 against South Dakota State. Senior Taylor Zeutenhorst singled home the game-winning run in the bottom of the 11th in a 2-1 victory on April 25 before Tyler Peyton delivered a bases-loaded an RBI single to centerfield to a 4-3 win April 26 in the bottom of the ninth.

EXPERIENCE PAYS OFF
After being mainstays in the lineup the last 2-3 seasons, several Hawkeye upperclassmen are enjoying breakout seasons.
? Junior Jake Mangler is hitting a career-best .333 with 35 RBIs and 30 runs scored. Both the RBI and run totals are career-bests. Mangler also has a career-high 11 doubles and one home run.
? Senior Taylor Zeutenhorst has posted career bests in runs (40), doubles (6), home runs (9), total bases (80) and RBIs (32) in 2014.
? Junior Nick Day has surpassed his 2013 hit total (39) and has a career-high 14 RBIs and 35 runs. He is hitting .326 after entering the season with a .203 career average.
? Junior Jake Yacinich has a career-bests in runs (35), triples (4), steals (22) and batting average (.338).

POWER SURGE
After hitting two home runs the entire 2013 season, Iowa has 19 home runs in 40 games this season — the most for the program since 2010 when it had 28 jacks. The Hawkeyes surpassed their 2013 home run total in the season-opening weekend, connecting on three home runs. Six different Hawkeyes have hit at least one home run this season.

RUNS, RUNS & MORE RUNS
? Iowa has scored 10 or more runs 10 times this season, including a season-high 17 in victory over Otterbein on March 17. All 17 runs came over a four-inning stretch. The Hawkeyes hit the 10-run barrier three times the entire 2013 season.
? Iowa has the most 10-run games since 2010 when it had 12 such contests.
? The Hawkeyes are 9-1 when scoring 10 or more runs this season.
? Iowa scored 11 and 15 runs in consecutive victories at Austin Peay on the opening weekend of the 2014 season. It was the first time scoring 10 or more runs in two-straight games since April 20 and April 23, 2011, putting 14 and 13 runs on the board in victories over Western Illinois and Michigan.
? Iowa has scored 10 runs in a single inning in two games this season (at Austin Peay (2/15), vs. Otterbein (3/17). The Hawkeyes last had a double-digit inning on April 3, 2011, in a 19-7 victory over Michigan State.

RUNNIN’ WILD
Thirteen different Hawkeyes have swiped at least one base during the 2014 season. Iowa’s 65 steals are leading the Big Ten lead. Three different Hawkeyes have at least nine steals, which includes 22 by junior Jake Yacinich (22-of-24), 10 from Taylor Zeutenhorst (10-of-12) and nine by Eric Toole (9-of-14). Iowa has stolen home twice this season — Blake Hickman vat Austin Peay (2/15) and Tyler Peyton vs. Georgetown (3/15).

HELLER REACHES 700
First-year head coach Rick Heller earned his 700th career victory in Iowa’s 13-1 victory over Georgetown on March 15 in Port Charlotte, Fla. Heller is 39th among winningest active head coaches in the NCAA.

TURNING AROUND A PROGRAM
? Under first-year head coach Rick Heller, the Hawkeyes started the season with a 9-1 record — the program’s best start since 1940.
? After starting 9-1, Iowa received votes in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) rankings on March 3.
? The Hawkeyes won 2-of-3 games in the Big Ten series opener against Nebraska. It was the team’s first conference-opening series win since 1998, and Iowa’s series win over Nebraska since the Huskers joined the Big Ten.
? Iowa won 2-of-3 games over Minnesota on April 18-20 in Iowa City, a first for the Hawkeyes since 2005.

B1G HONOREES
? Senior Taylor Zeutenhorst has tabbed as the Big Ten Player of the Week on Feb. 21 after hitting .412, slugging .765 and reaching at a .500 clip. The outfielder tied a career-high with four hits, going 4-of-6, which included a two-run home run in Iowa’s 16-6 win over Ball State. Zeutenhorst is Iowa’s first Player of the Week honoree since 2012.
? Junior Dan Potempa was tabbed as the Big Ten Co-Player of the Week on March 24 after posting multiple hits in each of Iowa’s three games against Nebraska. He finished with weekend with a .727 batting average (8-of-11) and a 1.568 OPS. The Tinley Park, Ill., native had two hits in the opener and three hits in games two and three. He drove in a pair of runs in Iowa’s four-run eighth inning to send the Hawkeyes to a Big Ten-opening series win.
? Sophomore Calvin Mathews was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week on March 31 and Big Ten Player of the Week by College Sports Madness a day later. The right-hander went the distance for his first career complete game, leading Iowa to a 3-2 win at Michigan. He scattered six hits and had nine strikeouts against zero walks in the game.
? Junior Sasha Kuebel was tabbed as the Big Ten Co-Pitcher of the Week for the second time in his career April 14 after going 2-0 with a 0.62 ERA in two appearances last week. The southpaw pitched 5 2/3 innings in relief in a 5-3 midweek victory over Kansas before tossing a complete game shutout in a 5-0 win at Northwestern. It was Kuebel’s first career complete game shutout and the first by a Hawkeye since 2011 (Jared Hippen).

TEAM CAPTAINS
Juniors Nick Hibbing, Jake Mangler, Eric Toole and Jake Yacinich have been elected by their teammates as team captains for the 2014 season.

B1G TOURNEY CHANGES
The 2014 Big Ten Tournament will be held at TD Ameritrade Park on May 21-25 in Omaha. The field is expanding in 2014 from six to eight teams for the first time in its history.

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 return to action May 7, hosting Upper Iowa at 6 p.m. (CT) at Banks Field. Iowa then hosts Illinois from May 9-11 in its final home series of the 2014 season.