Game Notes -- at Northwestern

Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store | Fight For Iowa | Hawk Talk Monthly — May 2018

THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa baseball team heads to Evanston, Illinois, for a three-game weekend series at Northwestern from May 11-13 at Rocky and Berenice Miller Park.  Friday’s game begins at 3:30 p.m. (CT) followed by 2 p.m. starts Saturday and Sunday.

FOLLOW ALONG
• Friday and Saturday’s games will be streamed live on BTN Plus on BTN2Go.  It is a paid subscription service.  Sunday’s game will be televised on BTN with Chris Vosters and Danan Hughes on the call.
• All Iowa games will also be available via the Hawkeye Radio Network with Zach Mackey and Steve Duncan on the call.  The games can be heard on Hawkeye All-Access and on select stations across the state or by searching Iowa Hawkeyes on the Tune In Radio app.
Friday: WDBQ-FM 107.5 (Dubuque), KKFD-FM 95.9 (Fairfield), KMJM AM 1360 (Cedar Rapids)
Saturday: WDBQ-FM 107.5 (Dubuque), KKFD-FM 95.9 (Fairfield), KMJM AM 1360 (Cedar Rapids)
Sunday: WDBQ-FM 107.5 (Dubuque), KKFD-FM 95.9 (Fairfield)

LEADING OFF
• The Hawkeyes are 20-10 over their last 30 games. Iowa has two straight series wins over top-12 ranked opponents, taking two of three games from No. 7 Michigan and No. 12 Oklahoma State. It was the Hawkeyes’ first win over a top-10 opponent since 2008.  
• Iowa has won seven of its last eight Big Ten Conference series (the team split weather-shortened series against No. 11 Indiana and at Nebraska). 
• The Hawkeyes need two victories to reach the 30-win plateau for a fifth consecutive season under head coach Rick Heller.
• Iowa is 8-9 against ranked opponents this season with wins over No. 11 Indiana, No. 22 Illinois (2), No. 25 Minnesota, No. 7 Michigan (2), and No. 12 Oklahoma State (2). 
• The Hawkeyes have scored 49 runs and have 24 extra base hits (14 doubles, 10 home runs) over its last four games.  Iowa matched a season-high 16 runs in two of those contests.
• Junior Nick Allgeyer has twice been named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week during the 2018 season.  He was honored following a road win at Nebraska and a victory over No. 7 Michigan.
• Allgeyer is second in the Big Ten in strikeouts (76) and innings pitched (76.1), and tied for fifth in ERA (2.71). 
• Junior Robert Neustrom is hitting .476 (10-of-21) with nine extra base hits (six doubles and three home runs) over his last four games.  The outfielder also has 10 RBIs and six runs scored during the stretch.
• The Hawkeyes hit a season-high and Big Ten-best seven home runs in the May 1 loss to Missouri.  The seven home runs are the second-most in a single game in school history.  
• Iowa’s pitching staff leads the Big Ten in strikeouts with 414 — 43 more than second place Ohio State.  
• Sophomore Lorenzo Elion became the second Hawkeye in the last decade to hit for the cycle, finishing 5-for-6 with two home runs, six RBIs, and four runs on April 11 against Coe College. The five hits tied a single-game school record.
• Iowa is 17-6 at Duane Banks Field this season, running its record to 69-20 at home since the start of the 2015 season.  The Hawkeyes have won 10 of their last 11 home series.
• Iowa is fifth in the Big Ten with 39 home runs coming from 10 different Hawkeyes.  Iowa has six players with 20 or more RBIs.
• Iowa has won 140 games over the past four seasons under head coach Rick Heller — the best four-year stretch in school history.  The Hawkeyes have advanced to NCAA Regional play in two of the last three seasons.

QUICK HITTERS
• Two more victories would give Iowa 30 wins for the fifth straight season under head coach Rick Heller.  The program hasn’t enjoyed a better stretch since posting seven consecutive 30 win campaigns from 1979-85. 
• Iowa has five wins against top-12 ranked teams this season (No. 7 Michigan (2), No. 11 Indiana (1), No. 12 Oklahoma State (2).
• Iowa has played four doubleheaders this spring where it has posted a 5-3 record. The Hawkeyes swept their twin bill against Evansville on March 17 and split doubleheaders against No. 11 Indiana, Ohio State and Nebraska. 
• The Hawkeyes put up eight runs in the first inning in their 16-1 victory over Coe College on April 11 in Iowa City.  It was Iowa’s biggest scoring inning of the season.  
• Iowa is 6-4 against left-handed starters this season and 22-12 against right-handers.  
• The Hawkeyes are 25-9 when scoring three or more runs this season.
• Iowa is 13-7 in games decided by two runs or less  this season.  
 
ABOUT NORTHWESTERN
• The Wildcats are 14-28 overall and 4-17 in Big Ten play heading into this weekend’s three-game series.  Northwestern is 5-5 over its last 10 games with a three-game sweep at Penn State before being swept last weekend at Purdue.
• Northwestern is just 3-10 at home this season.
• Northwestern is hitting .244 as a team with one player hitting over .300.  Jack Dunn has a .317 average with team-highs in runs (33), hits (52), and steals (18).
• Jack Claeys is hitting a team-best .321 with 16 RBIs and five home runs in Big Ten play.
• The Wildcats have a 6.20 team ERA, allowing 399 hits and 290 runs over 365 2/3 innings.  Northwestern will start LHP Quinn Lavelle (3-5, 4.73 ERA) on Friday and RHP Hank Christie (2-5, 5.40 ERA) on Saturday. Sunday’s starter is TBA.
• Northwestern head coach Spencer Allen was an Iowa assistant coach in 2004 under Jack Dahm.  Wildcat assistant Dusty Napoleon was a three-year starter for the Hawkeyes from 2005-07 before being selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 19th round of the 2017 MLB Draft.

SERIES RESULTS
• Iowa leads the all-time series over Northwestern, 137-103-2.  
• Iowa and Northwestern split four games during the 2017 season.  The Wildcats won two of three games in Evanston from April 7-9; Iowa posted a 13-4 victory in the Big Ten Tournament championship game.
• The Hawkeyes won two of three games in both 2014 and 2015.

OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION
The Hawkeyes’ offense exploded for 49 runs and posted a .342 batting average in four games last week.  Iowa finished with 24 extra base hits (14 doubles, 10 home runs), posting a .632 team slugging percentage.
• Iowa scored 16 runs in two of the four games, which tied for a season-high.  
• Iowa had 11 doubles and three home runs in the series win over No. 12 Oklahoma State.  The Hawkeyes had 11 combined doubles over their previous three series.

A-HOEG
Senior Matt Hoeg broke out of a 4-for-32 month-long slump with a double against Milwaukee on April 25 in Iowa City.  In the seven games since:
• Hoeg is hitting .345 (10-of-29) with five extra base hits, including three doubles, one triple, and a home run.  He has 12 RBIs in the seven games.
• The Waukee, Iowa, native has four multi-hit games during the stretch.  He went 2-for-6 with a career-high six RBIs in Iowa’s 16-14 slugfest victory over Oklahoma State on May 5 before going 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs in the series-clinching victory.

EXTRA BASE BOB
Junior Robert Neustrom has posted four-straight multi-hit games with 10 hits during the stretch.  Nine of Neustrom’s 10 hits are of the extra base variety with six doubles and two home runs.  
• He finished 3-for-5 with two home runs in Iowa’s 16-14 victory over No. 12 Oklahoma State — his second career multi-homer game — and he tied a career-high with five RBIs.

DREYER DAZZLES
In his first career weekend start (and second career start overall), freshman Jack Dreyer was strong filling in for an injured Cole McDonald.  The Johnston, Iowa, native scattered two hits and allowed one run in five innings against No. 12 Oklahoma State to pick up his third victory of the season.  He tied a career-high with six strikeouts.

7 BOMBS
Iowa hit a season and Big Ten-high seven home runs in its 17-16 loss to Missouri on May 1.  The seven home runs are the second-most in a game in school history, behind the eight home runs in 1986 against Murray State.
• The seven jacks are tied for the third-most in a single game in the nation this season.  Tennessee Tech hit 11 home runs in February against Illinois State.
• It is the first time Iowa has even hit five home runs in a game since the 2009 season.
• Six different Hawkeyes hit a home run in the game… the most notable? Mitchell Boe, who hit his first career shot to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth.

ON A TEAR
During his current six-game hitting streak, senior Tyler Cropley is hitting .545 (12-of-22) with 13 runs and 11 RBIs.   He has three three-hit games during the stretch.
• Cropley homered in consecutive at-bats — a walk-of two-run home run to give Iowa a 7-5 win over No. 7 Michigan on April 29 and a first-inning solo shot against Missouri on May 1.
• Cropley hit two home runs against Mizzou for his second career two-home run game.  He also did it against Minnesota last season in the Big Ten Tournament.

JOINING THE RECORD BOOKS
• Junior Robert Neustrom has 126 career singles, which are tied for 13th all-time in school history.
• Junior Zach Daniels has appeared in 59 career games, which are tied for the seventh-most all-time.  Daniels also has 10 career saves, which are eighth-most all-time.
• Senior Tyler Cropley has 17 doubles in 2018, which are tied for the 10th-most in a single-season in school history.

• Junior Nick Allgeyer has 76 strikeouts this season, which are tied for the 10th-most in a single season.

TURNING 2
Iowa is second in the Big Ten with 40 double plays in 2018.
• The Hawkeyes have two games this season where they have turned four doubles plays — Indiana, at Nebraska.
• Iowa had a school record 67 double plays last season.

RPI UPDATE
Iowa is 49th in the latest RPI report by D1Baseball .com (As of May 8). Four Big Ten teams are in the top 50 — Minnesota (14), Indiana (28), Ohio State (28), and Michigan (45). Iowa has three wins against top 25 RPI teams, eight against the top-50, and 11 against the top 100.

B1G SUCCESS
Iowa has won 20 of 28 (71.4 percent) of its Big Ten Conference series dating back to the 2015 season.  The Hawkeyes have won six of their last seven Big Ten series, dropping only a three-game set at No. 25 Minnesota from  April 20-22. 

WHELAN: THE CATALYST 
Redshirt junior Chris Whelan has been instant offense for the Hawkeyes since making his season debut on March 17 against Evansville.  The Illinois native missed the first month (14 games) recovering from Tommy John surgery. He was cleared to throw and play in the field April 24. 
• He played in his first game in the field May 4 against No. 12 Oklahoma State, starting at first base, and he started the final two games in left field.
• The Hawkeyes averaged 5.0 runs per game in the 14 games before Whelan was cleared. Since inserting Whelan into the lineup, Iowa is averaging 6.8 runs per contest.
• Whelan has hit safely in 25-of-29 games since his return with 12 multi-hit contests.   He is hitting .333 with 31 runs, and 12 walks as Iowa’s leadoff hitter.
• Whelan had a career-high four hits, finishing 4-for-5 with a career-best four runs in Iowa’s 13-9 come-from-behind victory over Bradley on March 28.  He hit is second home run of the season on April 22 in the win at Minnesota, finishing 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
• Whelan homered in back-to-back games, hitting the game-tying home run in the come-from-behind win over No. 7 Michigan on April 29 and hitting a solo shot in the slugfest loss against Missouri.

CROPLEY PRODUCES
Senior Tyler Cropley is leading the team with a .383 average with team-highs in RBIs (43) and doubles (17) and ranking second in home runs (9).  He had a career-best 12-game hitting streak and 16-game reached base streak this season.   Cropley is currently riding a 15-game reached-base streak.
• The South Dakota native ranks in top-seven in Big Ten in 10 categories… second in on-base percentage (.490), tied for second in doubles (17), third in slugging percentage (.654), fifth in batting average (.383) and total bases (106), tied for fifth in HBP (10), tied for sixth in home runs (9) and hits (62), seventh in RBIs (43) and tied for seventh in runs (41).
• Cropley tied a school record in the 16-1 win over Coe College on April 11, finishing 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs.  All three of his hits were doubles, as he became the ninth Hawkeye — first since Nate Yoho in 2004 — to hit three in a single game.
• Cropley has two walk-off home runs this season.  He hit a walk-off grand slam to give Iowa a 13-9 victory over Bradley on March 28.  He finished with a career-high five RBIs in the game.  He hit is second walk-off — a two-runs hot — to give the Hawkeyes a 7-5 win over No. 7 Michigan on April 29.
• Cropley is currently hitting .489 (23-of-47) with runners in scoring position.  He has a .778 average with a runner on third base with less than two outs.
• Cropley is on the Johnny Bench Award Watch List. The honor is given to the top catcher in Division I baseball.  

CROWL STEADY AT SHORT
Sophomore Kyle Crowl had a career-best 14-game reached base streak from March 11-April 4.  He has reached safely in 36 games this season.
• Crowl has been a part of 30 double plays in helping Iowa be one of the Big Ten’s top double play units.
• Crowl is third on the team with six home runs this season and 29 RBIs.
• Went a perfect 4-for-4 with one double, three runs, and two RBIs in Iowa’s 16-14 victory over No. 12 Oklahoma State on May 5.  The four hits were a career-high.

HAVE YOURSELF A DAY ZO
Sophomore Lorenzo Elion became the second Hawkeye in the last decade to hit for the cycle when he finished 5-of-6 with two home runs, six RBIs, and four runs scored in a 16-1 win over Coe College on April 11.  The two home runs were the first of his career.
• Elion tripled in the first, homered in the second, doubled in the fifth,  singled in the sixth, and capped the night with a first-pitch, three-run home run in the eighth.
• The five hits tied a school record that has happened now 18 times.  It was last done by Joel Booker in 2016 at the Big Ten Tournament.  The five hits are tied for the most in the Big Ten this season.
• Mason McCoy was the last Hawkeye to hit for the cycle against Air Force in 2016.

#SCTOP10
Sophomore Lorenzo Elion appeared in SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays on April 8 after making a spectacular defensive play, diving to his right and throwing a dart to first to rob Ohio State of extra bases.  The play was No. 8.

COMEBACK KIDS
The Hawkeyes have posted 13 come-from-behind victories in 2018, which includes five walk-off victories.
• Iowa trailed 9-8 through 7 1/2 innings before rallying for a 13-9 win.  Lorenzo Elion’s pinch-hit RBI single tied the game in the eighth before Iowa posted its fourth walk-off win in the ninth courtesy of a Tyler Cropley grand slam. 
• The Hawkeyes trailed 4-1 through 7 1/2 innings before Matt Hoeg tied the game with a two-out, three-run double in the eighth.  Iowa then posted its third walk-off victory of the season when Austin Guzzo connected on a two-run home run to right field, giving the team a 6-4 win.
• Ben Norman had the game-winning RBI single in the ninth, sending the Hawkeyes to a 4-3 win over Toledo in the season opener.  Norman also reached via error in the win over Virginia Tech, allowing the go-ahead run to score in the 2-1 walk-off victory.
• Iowa trailed 5-0 through 1 1/2 innings and 5-4 through 6 1/2 before Chris Whelan’s solo home run tied the game at 5.  In the bottom of the ninth, Cropley hit a two-run home run to left field, giving Iowa a 7-5 series-clinching victory over No. 7 Michigan.
• Iowa has overcome deficits to win 31 games since the start of the 2017 season and posted nine walk-off victories.
• Nineteen of those victories have come with Iowa trailing or being tied entering or through seven innings and 14 have come in the final at-bat.

BANKS MAGIC
• The Hawkeyes are 17-6 at Duane Banks Field this season, running their record to 69-20 at home since the start of the 2015 season.  
• Iowa went 19-4 at home last season, the most wins by the team since 1989 (19-2). 
• Iowa has 13 walk-off victories at Duane Banks Field since the start of 2015.

ON THE OFFENSE
• The Hawkeyes have had 10 or more hits in 18 games this season.  Iowa’s has scored 16 runs in a game three times, including twice in the last four games.  (Coe College, 4/11; Mizzou, 5/1; Oklahoma State, 5/5).  
• Iowa has scored 10 or more runs in 10 games this season.  
• The Hawkeyes are 21-2 when out-hitting their opposition.

STARTING & FINISHING
The Hawkeyes are out-scoring opponents, 55-23, in the first inning and 117-75 over the first three innings.  Iowa is also out-scoring the opposition, 54-41, in the eighth and ninth innings.
• Iowa is 13-5 when it scores in the first inning and 18-6 when it scores the game’s first run.   
• The Hawkeyes are 21-1 when leading after six innings, 21-1 after seven, and 23-1 after eight this season.  

JUNIOR ROBERT NEUSTROM…
• has hit safely in 37-of-44 games this season and he has reached safely in 40-of-44 contests.  Neustrom has had hitting streaks of nine games and 10 games this season.
• has started 107 consecutive games dating back to the 2016 season. 
• is hitting .333 with 18 multi-hit games.  Neustrom has four home runs in his last six games, including his second career two-homer game May 5 against Oklahoma State.  He finished the contest 3-for-5 with five RBIs and three runs scored. 
• leads the team with 10 home runs this season.  Ranks in the top 12 in the Big Ten in seven categories — tied for fourth in doubles (14) and home runs (10), sixth in total bases (104), tied for 10th in slugging percentage (.578) and hits (60) and 12th in runs (39) and batting average (.333).
• was the Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year by Baseball America and Perfect Game.

ON THE BUMP
• The Hawkeyes’ starting pitchers are 15-12 with a 3.71 ERA in 44 games. Iowa starters have 211 strikeouts to 86 walks and opponents are hitting .245.
• Iowa’s pitching staff has three games where it has allowed two or fewer hits.  The Hawkeyes one-hit Northern Illinois on April 17 and had a pair of two hitters against Evansville on March 17 and No. 11 Indiana on March 23.
• Iowa’s pitching staff is leading the Big Ten with 414 strikeouts, averaging 9.6 per game to ranked 20th nationally. 
• Iowa has 22 games with 10 or more strikeouts this season, including a stretch of eight straight games dating back to April 25 when the Hawkeyes had a season-high 15 strikeouts in a win over Milwaukee.
• Iowa’s bullpen is 13-4 with a 4.91 ERA this season.  The relievers have logged 188 2/3 innings, where they average more than a strikeout an inning (203).
• Senior Nick Nelsen appeared in all three games in Iowa’s series win over No. 12 Oklahoma State.  He didn’t allow a run, scattered two hits, and punched out four over three innings.  Nelsen is 2-1 with a 3.75 ERA in 22 appearances with 25 strikeouts over 24 innings.

DANIELS DOES IT
Junior Zach Daniels is Iowa’s most important piece in its relieving corps.  The right-hander is 5-1 with a 2.15 ERA in 19 appearances, striking out 39 over 37 2/3 innings.  He has four saves.
• Daniels is 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA in nine Big Ten appearances, allowing four runs on 12 hits over 19 innings.  He has 19 strikeouts and is limiting hitters to a .182 average.
• Daniels made two appearances against No. 7 Michigan, earning a save and a win in the series.  He pitched four shutout frames, scattering two hits and fanning a season-high six in Iowa’s series-clinching victory.
• He has made multiple weekend appearances four times this season.

REDSHIRT JUNIOR NICK ALLGEYER…
• is 5-4 with a 2.71 ERA in 12 starts. Allgeyer has 76 strikeouts, which are second-most in the Big Ten and tied for the 10th-most in a single season in school history.
• ranks among the top-six in the Big Ten in four categories — second in strikeouts (76) and innings (76 1/3), tied for fifth in ERA (2.71), and sixth in strikeouts looking (21).
• second in the Big Ten in conference games in strikeouts (39), tied for fifth in wins (3), sixth in innings (39 2/3), and seventh in ERA (2.79).
• has been named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week twice this season — April 16 following a road win at Nebraska and April 30 following a win over No. 7 Michigan.
• has allowed six hits or fewer in  nine of 12 starts… has allowed one or fewer earned runs in seven starts.
• had 10 consecutive quality starts from Week 2-12… had a career-high nine strikeouts against No. 12 Oklahoma State his fifth game with eight or more strikeouts.
• notched his fourth win at Nebraska, allowing one unearned run over seven innings and fanning four… earned his fifth win, allowing one run on five hits over seven innings against No. 7 Michigan.
• notched his third victory — first Big Ten win — allowing five runs (three earned) on seven hits over 6 1/3 innings at No. 22 Illinois… finished with eight strikeouts.
•  recorded his first career win as a starter (third of his career), allowing one run on four hits at UAB (3/2)… had four strikeouts against one walk over 6 2/3 innings… went six innings, allowing one run on four hits in the win over Evansville (3/17).
• made his first career Friday start — his second career start — against Toledo (2/16) — allowing three unearned runs over five innings and fanning seven.
• is 7-4 with a 2.99 ERA in 44 career appearances, including 13 starts… has 114 strikeouts in 123 1/3  innings.
• missed the 2017 season recovering from Tommy John surgery suffered during the fall of 2016.

JUNIOR BRADY SCHANUEL…
• Iowa’s Saturday starter… is 5-6 with a 5.84 ERA in 12 starts with 62 strikeouts over 49 1/3 innings.
• notched his fifth win, allowing three runs on six hits against Ohio State (4/7)… had seven strikeouts — his fourth game with six or more strikeouts.
• was named the Big Ten Co-Pitcher of the Week on March 25 after going a career-best seven innings, allowing one hit and fanning 11 in a 5-1 victory over No. 11 Indiana (3/23)… retired the final 10 batters he faced.  The 11 strikeouts were the most by a Hawkeye pitcher since Nathan Johnson’s 14 at Indiana in 2004.
• allowed a single hit over five shutout innings in a win against Evansville, where he fanned six… went a five innings in the road win at UAB — his second win of the season…allowed one hit and fanned a career-high seven.   
• earned his first career victory against Old Dominion (2/18), allowing two hits and fanning four in 3 2/3 innings… was on a predetermined 60-pitch pitch count.
• Two-time MLB Draft pick — selected in 20th round by Philadelphia in 2017 and 36th round by Oakland in 2015.
• Two-time All-American at Parkland College in Illinois… went 20-4 with 161 strikeouts in 164 innings.

JUNIOR COLE MCDONALD… 
• is 3-1 with a 3.61 ERA in nine starts  — eight coming as the Sunday starter… has missed two starts because of weather cancellations (Indiana, Nebraska) and a third start because of injury.
• departed after 3+ innings in his April 29 start against Michigan with elbow tightness.
• tallied his third win, allowing one run on four hits over seven innings in a road win at No. 25 Minnesota… had six strikeouts to two walks for his third straight quality start.
• recorded his second straight quality start in a no-decision against Ohio State (4/8)… allowed one run on three hits over six innings and had a career-high eight strikeouts.
• notched his first Big Ten victory — second of the season — allowing two runs on five hits over 6 1/3 innings at No. 22 Illinois… finished with six strikeouts… it was his second quality start of the season.
• recorded his first career quality start and first win of the season, scattering three hits and allowing two unearned runs in seven innings in a victory over New Orleans.  McDonald had four strikeouts to one walk.
• is 9-6 with a 4.80 ERA in 32 appearances, including 28 starts.

HAWKEYES IN PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL
Jake Adams – Quad Cities River Bandits — Class A (Astros)
Joel Booker – Winston-Salem Dash – Class A Advanced (White Sox)
Matt Dermody – Buffalo Bison – Triple-A (Blue Jays)
Ryan Erickson – Great Falls Voyagers – Rookie (White Sox)
Nick Gallagher – Lake County Captains – Class A (Indians)
Blake Hickman – Winson Salem Dash – Class A Advanced (White Sox)
Mason McCoy – Delmarva Shorebirds – Class A (Orioles)
Tyler Peyton – Myrtle Beach Pelicans – Class A Advanced (Cubs)
Nick Roscetti – Wisconsin Timber Rattlers – Class A (Brewers)
Jake Yacinich – Indland Empire 66ers – Class A Advanced (Angels)

TEAM CAPTAINS
Iowa’s team captains for the 2018 season are senior Tyler Cropley, redshirt junior Nick Allgeyer, junior Robert Neustrom, and redshirt sophomore Kyle Shimp. 

FOLLOW THE HAWKEYES
Iowa baseball fans can follow the Hawkeyes on Facebook/iowabaseball, Twitter: @UIBaseball, and Instagram/UIBaseball in addition to coverage on hawkeyesports.com.