Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store | 24 Hawkeyes to Watch 2016-17 | Hawk Talk Monthly — March 2017
IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa baseball team opens a 10-game home stand with a Wednesday midweek game against Bradley at 4:05 p.m. (CT) at Duane Banks Field.
The Hawkeyes enter the contest with a 10-8 record after dropping 2-of-3 games at Kansas State last weekend. Two of the three games were one-run contests and went to extra innings. Iowa won the series finale, 12-11 in 10 innings, behind a three-home run, seven-RBI day from junior Jake Adams.
Sophomore Robert Neustrom leads the team and Big Ten Conference with a .408 batting average and 31 hits and is one of five players hitting above .300. Adams is the league’s home run (8) and RBI (27) leader to go along with a league-best .685 slugging percentage. Adams is tied for fifth nationally in home runs and 12th in RBIs.
The Braves bring a 6-11 record to Iowa City after dropping 2-of-3 games during a weekend series at North Florida. Bradley lost the first two games before claiming the series finale, 4-2.
Bradley has three players hitting over .300, led by sophomore Luke Mangieri, who is hitting .391 and leads the team with 18 RBIs.
Iowa will send freshman RHP Grant Judkins to the mound for his fourth career start. The Pella, Iowa, native enters the contest with a 1-0 record and an 8.25 ERA in five appearances.
Bradley counters with freshman RHP Ryan Hodgett. The Chicago native is 0-1 with an 11.57 ERA in two appearances. He has allowed six runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings of work.
Iowa owns a 42-40-2 lead in the all-time series over Bradley. The Hawkeyes won the lone meeting in 2016, 7-6, in Iowa City. The game in Peoria was cancelled because of weather.
Wednesday’s game will be streamed live on BTN Plus on BTN2Go. The game will also be broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network and will be available on Hawkeye All-Access with Zach Mackey on the call.
Following the midweek matchup, the Hawkeyes open Big Ten play with a three-game series against Purdue. Friday’s series opener is set for 4 p.m. (CT).
