Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store | 24 Hawkeyes to Watch 2016-17 | Hawk Talk Monthly — May 2017
IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa junior Jake Adams has been named the Big Ten Player of the Week for the second time this season, it was announced Monday by the league office.
The Brandon, South Dakota, native earned the distinction after hitting .500 (6-of-12) and homering in three straight games to lead the Hawkeyes to a series victory over Ohio State — the first since 2011. He had five RBIs, scored six runs, and posted a 1.250 slugging and .600 on-base percentage.
Adams opened the series by going 3-for-4 with a solo home run and scoring three runs in a series-opening 9-4 victory before hitting a second solo blast in game two. The first baseman closed out the weekend by going 2-for-4 with a three-run shot in the series finale.
Adams’ third home run of the weekend got the team started as it rallied from a 9-2 seventh-inning deficit. Trailing 10-9 going into the final at-bat, Adams singled to start the inning before scoring the game-tying run on Robert Neustrom’s walk-off two-run blast that gave the Hawkeyes an 11-10 victory.
The three home run weekend gives Adams 19 this season — the most by a Hawkeye since 1999 and the fifth-most in a single season in program history. The home run total is tops in the Big Ten and fifth nationally.
Adams also leads the Big Ten in RBIs (57), slugging percentage (.708), and total bases (138), while being tied for third in hits (67), fourth in runs (43), tied for fifth in batting average (.344) and doubles (14), and ninth in on-base percentage (.424).
The Hawkeyes have had five weekly Big Ten honorees this season. Adams also was recognized as the Player of the Week on March 6 and senior Mason McCoy earned the team’s first honor Feb. 27. Zach Daniels and Nick Gallagher were tabbed as the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week on March 27 and May 1, respectively.
Iowa (31-18) returns to action Tuesday, hosting Omaha at 6:05 p.m. (CT) in its final home game of the season. The Hawkeyes travel to Illinois from May 18-20 to close out the regular season.
