Notes: Iowa Heads to Ann Arbor to Open B1G Play

THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa baseball team heads to Ann Arbor for its Big Ten Conference opener, facing Michigan for a three-game series from April 1-3. Friday’s game will begin at 3 p.m., Saturday starts at 1 p.m. and Sunday’s finale begins at noon from Ray Fisher Stadium.

WATCH/LISTEN LIVE
• All three games against Michigan will be streamed online via BTN+ ($).
• All three games will be broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network with Zach Mackey on the call. Fans can access the stream free by downloading The Varsity Network app.
• All games can be heard on the radio on 800 AM KXIC (Iowa City), 1360 AM KMJM (Cedar Rapids), 95.9 FM KKFD (Fairfield) and 101.1 FM & 1220 AM KJAN (Atlantic).
• Live stats will be available on hawkeyesports.com and live updates will be available on Twitter (@UIBaseball).

LEADING OFF
• The Hawkeyes have won six of their last eight games to improve to 12-9 overall this season. Iowa defeated No. 12 Texas Tech, 6-3, on March 20 for its first win over a ranked opponent in 2022 before taking two of three from MAC favorite Central Michigan last weekend.
• The Hawkeyes open Big Ten Conference play with Michigan for a second straight season. The two teams met in Texas in 2021 for a four-game series.
• Iowa and Michigan were both projected as NCAA Regional teams by various outlets in the preseason. The two teams were picked to finish second and third in the preseason coaches poll.
• Head coach Rick Heller won his 250th game as Iowa’s head coach in the Hawkeyes’ 6-5 victory over St. Thomas on March 21. Heller is third all-time on the program’s career wins list.
• The Hawkeyes have overcome deficits in nine games this season. Iowa is 6-3 in such contests.
• Iowa’s pitching staff has been remarkable through the first month and a half of the season, allowing just 127 hits and fanning 268 over 186 1/3 innings, while limiting hitters to a .189 average.
• Iowa leads the nation in strikeouts per nine innings (12.9) and is second in hits allowed per nine innings (6.13). The Hawkeyes are also 28th in WHIP (1.26) and 27th in ERA (3.57).
• The staff ranks in the top three in the Big Ten in seven categories. Iowa leads the Big Ten in strikeouts (268), fewest hits allowed (127) and batting average against (.189), while ranking second in fewest earned runs allowed (74) and saves (8) and third in ERA (3.57) and fewest runs allowed (93).
• Redshirt sophomore Peyton Williams ranks in the top 10 in the Big Ten in five categories. He is tied for third in doubles (9), sixth in OPS (1.142), eighth in slugging (.675), ninth in batting average (.364) and 10th in home runs (5).
• Sophomore Michael Seegers brings a career-best 15 game reached base streak and six-game hitting streak into Ann Arbor. Redshirt sophomore Kyle Huckstorf has reached safely in 11 straight contests.
• Redshirt freshman Keaton Anthony is second in the Big Ten in doubles (11), which ranks 21st nationally.
• Twelve of Iowa’s 21 games have been decided by two runs or fewer. The Hawkeyes are 6-6 in such contests.
• Iowa has advanced to the postseason in six of Heller’s eight seasons (there was no Big Ten/NCAA Tournament in 2020 and no Big Ten Tournament in 2021 because of COVID). He has led the Hawkeyes to two NCAA Regional appearances (2015, 2017).

OF NOTE
• Iowa has had four games canceled because of weather this season.
• Nineteen players on the 2022 roster have made their Hawkeye debuts this season.
• The Hawkeyes have used six different starting pitchers in their weekend rotation during the first six weeks of the season.
• Iowa has scored 10 or more runs in three games this season. The Hawkeyes have six games with 10 or more hits.
• Iowa’s pitching staff has allowed four runs or fewer in 12 of its 21 games and five or fewer hits in 11 games.
• The Hawkeyes have played errorless baseball in six games this season. Iowa is 5-1 in such contests.
• Head coach Rick Heller is 30-32 against ranked opponents during his Hawkeye tenure. Iowa has posted at least one win over a ranked foe in each of the last eight seasons.
• The Hawkeyes are picked as an NCAA Regional team by D1Baseball.com and Baseball America in 2022 and are tabbed to finish in the top four of the Big Ten standings. Mazur is a preseason All-Big Ten selection by Perfect Game, while RHP Marcus Morgan was tabbed as D1Baseball’s Preseason Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
• Senior Dylan Nedved and redshirt sophomores Adam Mazur and Peyton Williams were named Big Ten Players to Watch. The Hawkeyes were picked to finish third in a vote of the league’s head coaches.
• Redshirt sophomore Peyton Williams will play with the Cotuit Kettleers in June in the Cape Cod League.
• Iowa’s 2022 newcomer class (transfers and freshman) is rated as the 23rd-best recruiting class in the country by D1Baseball.com.

RANKED WIN
The Hawkeyes posted a 6-3 victory over No. 12 Texas Tech on March 20 in Iowa City.
• It was the team’s first win over a ranked opponent this season and the highest ranked foe Iowa has defeated since winning two of three games over No. 12 Oklahoma State in 2018.
• Head coach Rick Heller has defeated at least one ranked foe in each season as Iowa’s head coach.

IOWA’S BIG BASHER
Redshirt sophomore Peyton Williams is hitting .353 (12-of-34) with four doubles, two home runs, seven RBIs and eight runs scored over his last 10 games. The Johnston, Iowa, native is slashing .353/.647/.450 during the stretch.
• Williams has hit safely in all but six games this season and he has seven multi-hit games, including three four-hit contests. He went 4-for-4 with a three-run homer at San Diego State on March 15.
• On the year, Williams is hitting .364 (28-of-77) with 20 runs and 16 RBIs. He has nine doubles and five home runs.
• Williams ranks in the top 10 in the Big Ten in five categories. He is tied for third in doubles (9), sixth in OPS (1.142), eighth in slugging (.675), ninth in batting average (.364) and 10th in home runs (5).
• Williams has a team-high five home runs, including a 422-foot blast with a 110 mph exit velocity against Washington State at the Frisco Classic.

ANTHONY IN THE MIDDLE
Redshirt freshman Keaton Anthony is putting up some impressive numbers in 2022. The outfielder is hitting .347 (26-of-75) with 11 doubles, three home runs, 17 RBIs and 18 runs scored.
• The Georgia native has hit safely in 16 games this season with a team-high eight multi-hit games.
• Anthony is second in the Big Ten in doubles (11) — a figure that ranks 21st nationally.
• Anthony had a career day in his third career game in Iowa’s 11-1 victory over Ball State on Feb. 19, going 4-for-4 with two doubles, two home runs, four runs and five RBIs.
• Anthony hit .444 (4-of-9) with five runs and five RBIs in the three games at the Swig & Swine Classic and finished with a .583 on-base and 1.333 slugging percentage en route to being named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Feb. 23.
• He earned his second Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor on March 16 after hitting .500 (5-of-10) with five runs and four RBIs at UC Irvine.

LANGENBERG SHINES
Sophomore Ty Langenberg has settled into Iowa’s weekend rotation as he has made three consecutive starts as the Sunday starter. The Urbandale, Iowa, native is 3-0 with a 2.31 ERA on the season, surrendering just six runs on 20 hits over 23 1/3 innings. Langenberg has 31 strikeouts to seven walks.
• Langenberg logged a career-best 5 2/3 innings in relief against Washington State, fanning eight without issuing a walk on March 6.
• The right-hander had a career-high 10 strikeouts over five innings and allowed one run on three hits in the 6-3 win over No. 12 Texas Tech.
• Langenberg has had seven or more strikeouts in three of his five appearances. He ranks second in the Big Ten in fewest runs allowed (6) and fourth in fewest earned runs (6). He is also fifth in ERA (2.31) and tied for sixth in wins (3) and fewest hits (20).

MAZUR ON THE MOUND
Redshirt sophomore Adam Mazur has been strong in his first month-plus with the Hawkeyes, going 2-1 with a 3.82 ERA with 38 strikeouts over 33 innings. He has seven or more strikeouts in three starts. The right-hander has started the first six weeks on Friday; he will make a Saturday start this week at Michigan.
• Mazur was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 23 and March 2. He is the first Hawkeye pitcher to earn the distinction in consecutive weeks.
• The right-hander went six innings, allowing one run — a solo home run — over six innings in his debut against Air Force before retiring the final 16 batters he faced on Feb. 18.
• He logged a career-best 7 2/3 innings against Pepperdine on Feb. 25, allowing zero runs on three hits and fanning nine. He retired 10 straight at one point in the contest.
• Mazur carried a no-hitter into the sixth against Wichita State on March 4 and he retired 15 straight batters at one point.
• Mazur, who has two quality starts this season, has three streaks of 10 or more consecutive batters retired this season.
• The Minnesota native is first in the Big Ten in batting average against (.154), third in fewest hits allowed (18) sixth in innings (33.0) and seventh in strikeouts (38).

NEDVED MOVES TO FRIDAY
Senior Dylan Nedved has been a weapon in a dual role this season — both as a starter and reliever. The right-hander is 1-2 with a 4.88 ERA in seven appearances (two starts). He has allowed just 14 hits over 24 innings.
• Nedved is 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA with two saves in five relief appearances. He has 21 strikeouts (to four walks) over 14 innings and is limiting hitters to a .130 average.
• Nedved is 0-2 with a 8.10 ERA in two starts. He was the tough luck loser in his first career start, allowing two runs on four hits over seven innings at UC Irvine (3/12).
• Nedved will be making his first career Friday start this weekend at Michigan.
• Nedved is leading the Big Ten in fewest hits allowed (14), third in batting average against (.177) and tied for seventh in saves (2).

ONE OF THE B1G’s BEST
The Hawkeye pitching staff has been superb through the first six weeks of the 2022 season. Iowa leads the Big Ten in strikeouts (268), fewest hits allowed (127) and batting average against (.189), while ranking second in fewest earned runs allowed (74) and saves (8) and third in ERA (3.57) and fewest runs allowed (93).
• The Hawkeyes have given up just 127 hits over 186 1/3 innings with just 35 going for extra bases.
• Iowa is leading the nation, striking out 12.9 batters per nine innings. The Hawkeyes are third in hits allowed per nine innings at 6.13.
• Iowa’s starting pitchers are 5-4 with a 4.12 ERA, fanning 113 over 87 1/3 innings. Opponents are hitting just .204.

KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
Iowa’s pitching staff has the top three strikeout games (and four of the top five) in the conference this season. The Hawkeyes fanned 20 against Ball State on Feb. 19 and 20 against San Diego State on March 15. The 20 punch outs are tied for the eighth-most in a single game in the nation this season.
• The Hawkeyes also fanned 19 on March 2 in an 8-0 victory over Cornell College. Iowa has 10 or more strikeouts in 16 of 21 games this season, including five games with 16 or more strikeouts.
• Iowa punched out 32 Red Raiders in the two-game series on March 19-20, including 17 in the Hawkeyes’ 6-3 victory in the finale.

CLOSER BY COMMITTEE
The Hawkeyes have been rolling with a closer by committee at the back end of its bullpen this season. Four players — Dylan Nedved, Casey Day, Luke Llewellyn and Jacob Henderson — have tallied a save.
• Llewellyn has a team-best three saves, which are tied for third-most in the Big Ten. The right-hander is 1-0 and hasn’t allowed a run in six appearances, spanning 6 2/3 innings. He has allowed two hits and has four strikeouts (but has issued four walks).
• Day is 0-0 with a 3.18 ERA in seven appearances with two saves. Henderson notched his first save in the series finale against Central Michigan. He is 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA over 5 1/3 innings with 10 strikeouts to one walk.

THE MEN IN RELIEF
• Senior Ben Beutel notched his first win as a Hawkeye in Iowa’s 6-5 victory over St. Thomas on March 31. The southpaw is 1-0 with a 2.89 ERA in a team-high 10 appearances this season. Beutel has allowed three runs on five hits over 9 1/3 innings where he has 15 strikeouts against two walks.
• Redshirt sophomore Will Christophersen struck out the side plus one in his first appearance as a Hawkeye. He fanned four batters in the ninth in the win over Ball State on Feb. 19. The Bettendorf, Iowa, native has 13 strikeouts to two walks over 7 2/3 innings. Christophersen is currently out with foot injury.
• Iowa’s relievers are 7-5 with a 3.09 ERA this season, allowing 49 runs (34 earned) on 62 hits over 99 innings. The staff has 155 strikeouts to 62 walks and is limiting hitters to a .176 average.

HEAT ALERT
Freshman RHP Brody Brecht had a blazing debut in his first career appearance at Duane Banks Field. The Ankeny, Iowa, native hit triple digits on his first three pitches, going 101, 101 and 100 in a 1-2-3 inning against Cornell College on March 2.

ON THE OFFENSIVE
• The Hawkeyes have scored 111 runs in 21 games, averaging 5.3 runs per contest. Iowa has three games with 10 or more runs and six games with 10 or more hits.
• Iowa is 7-3 when scoring first this season and 8-5 when out-hitting its opponent.
• The Hawkeyes are outscoring opponents, 45-25, over the first three innings and 31-25 over the final three innings (including extra innings).

OFFENSIVE NOTES
• Leadoff hitter Michael Seegers has reached base safely in a career-best 15 straight games. The streak is the longest by a Hawkeye this season. Seegers average has climbed 29 points since March 15. He is hitting .271 with 12 runs and nine RBIs.
• Redshirt sophomore Kyle Huckstorf has reached safely in 11 consecutive games. The outfielder is hitting .288 with nine RBIs and six steals this season.
• Freshman Sam Petersen hit a three-run homer in the series opener against Central Michigan and had the go-ahead two-run single in the eighth inning in the series finale against the Chippewas. The Huxley, Iowa, native has hit safely in three of his last four games.

FRISCO HONORS
Three Hawkeyes – Keaton Anthony, Peyton Williams and Dylan Nedved — were named to the Frisco Classic All-Tournament Team on March 6.
• Anthony hit .385 (5-of-13) in three games with three doubles, two RBIs and three runs scored.
• Williams had a .333 (4-of-12) average with three extra base hits, including two home runs. The first baseman also made a key defensive play against Washington State, making a catch in foul territory before going into the stands. The play was a top-10 play for the week by D1Baseball.com.
• Nedved pitched a career-long 4 2/3 innings in relief against Texas A&M. He entered in the first inning with one out and the bases loaded and got out of the jam by inducing an inning-ending double play. The right-hander allowed two unearned runs and fanned a career-high nine in the outing.

ODD STAT LINE
The Hawkeye pitching staff’s unique stat line to open the season came to a halt on March 2 (thankfully so).
Game 1 – 1 hit vs. Air Force
Game 2 – 2 hits vs. Ball State
Game 3 – 3 hits vs. Bucknell
Game 4 – 4 hits vs. Pepperdine
Game 5 – 5 hits vs. Texas A&M Corpus Christi
Game 6 – 6 hits vs. Wichita State
Game 7 – 7 hits vs. Loras College
Game 8 – 2 hits vs. Cornell College

1-2-3-4-5-6-7
• The Hawkeye pitching staff posted a one-hitter against Air Force on Feb. 18 — the first for the program since 2019 (vs. Simpson, 7-2 win).
• Iowa has four games, allowing three or fewer hits, surpassing the total from the 2021 season (in 44 contests).
• The Hawkeyes have allowed five or fewer hits in 11 games this season.

FRONTLINE TRANSFERS
Iowa added a pair of Friday night starters to the 2022 roster as transfers in RHP Adam Mazur (South Dakota State) and RHP Connor Schultz (Butler).
• Mazur, who was tabbed as a first-team All-Big Ten selection by Perfect Game, went 3-9 with a 5.50 ERA in 16 starts in two seasons with the Jackrabbits. The Minnesota native had a breakout season in the Cape Cod League, going 3-0 with a 1.55 ERA in six starts en route to Cape Cod All-League honors.
• Mazur is rated as the No. 89 player on MLB.com’s top-100 draft prospects, while being the No. 2 draft prospect in Big Ten and No. 61 nationally by D1Baseball.com.
• Schultz is a graduate pitcher from Butler University where he went 13-9 with a 3.79 ERA in four collegiate seasons. The Cedar Falls, Iowa, native was a first-team All-Big East selection in 2019 and was the Big East Preseason Pitcher of the Year in 2020. Schultz battled hip injuries in each of the past two seasons.

FRESHMEN PHENOMS
The Hawkeyes signed a pair of high-end pitchers in freshman right-handers Brody Brecht and Marcus Morgan. Brecht is from Ankeny, Iowa; Morgan is from Iowa City.
• Brecht is rated as the top incoming recruit in the Big Ten and No. 9 nationally by Perfect Game, while being tabbed as the No. 4 impact recruit in the Big Ten by D1Baseball.com.
• Morgan was named D1Baseball.com’s Preseason Big Ten Freshman of the Year and the top impact freshman in the league.
• Morgan is the first freshman to be in the starting rotation to start the season under head coach Rick Heller. (LHP Jack Dreyer started four games (late in the season) during his true freshman season in 2018.)

SCOUTING MICHIGAN
• The Wolverines are 13-11 overall and 2-1 in Big Ten play. Michigan took two of three games at Nebraska last weekend in Lincoln. After falling 13-9 in the opener, the Wolverines won 8-6 and 6-1 to take the series.
• Michigan and Iowa have a common opponent in Texas Tech. The Red Raiders beat the Wolverines, 7-6, in the season opener in Texas.
• The Wolverines are ranked in the top 40 nationally in home runs (34), runs (191) and scoring (8.0). The team is hitting .281 with four regulars hitting over .315. Clark Elliott has a .355 average with 27 RBIs, 27 runs, nine doubles, one triple and four home runs. Ted Burton has a team-best 31 RBIs and is 7-for-7 on the base paths.
• Michigan has a 6.08 team ERA, allowing 237 hits over 208 2/3 innings. The staff has 221 strikeouts (against 118 walks) and opponents are hitting .286.

SERIES RECORDS
• The Wolverines lead the all-times series, 118-54. Michigan won three of four games last season in Texas in both teams’ season-opening series.
• Iowa’s last series win over the Wolverines came in 2018 when the Hawkeyes won two of three games in Iowa City. Michigan was ranked No. 7 at the time.
• The Hawkeyes’ last road series win in Ann Arbor came in 2015. Iowa won two of the three games.

TEAM CAPTAINS
Seniors Cam Baumann, Brett McCleary and Nedved, redshirt junior Brendan Sher and redshirt sophomores Brayden Frazier and Ty Snep were voted team captains for the 2022 season.

DON’T COUNT ‘EM OUT
The Hawkeyes have overcome deficits to win 68 games since the start of the 2017 season and posted 15 walk-offs. Thirty-two of those victories have come with Iowa trailing or being tied entering or through seven innings. Twenty have come in the final at-bat.

30 WINS X 6
Since head coach Rick Heller’s first season in 2014, the Hawkeyes have reached the 30-win plateau in six seasons. It was the program’s longest stretch since posting seven straight 30-win seasons from 1979-85.
2014: 30-23
2015: 41-18 (2nd-most wins all-time)
2016: 30-26
2017: 39-22 (5th-most wins all-time)
2018: 33-20
2019: 31-24
2020: 10-5 (*pandemic shortened)
2021: 28-16 (*Big Ten-only schedule)

BANKS MAGIC
• The Hawkeyes are 110-36 at home since the start of the 2015 season.
• Iowa won 19 games in 2019, the third-most in a single-season in school history, trailing only the 22 wins in 1977 and 20 wins in 2018.
• Iowa has 17 walk-off victories at Duane Banks Field since the start of 2015.

IOWA BY THE NUMBERS
• Iowa returns four starters, its designated hitter, one weekend starter, eight pitchers, and 20 letterwinners in 2022.
• Offensively, the Hawkeyes return 67.1 percent (49-93) of doubles, 47.2 percent of home runs (17-36), 44 percent of runs (122-277), 43 percent of hits (163-379), 39.8 percent of RBIs (102-256), 18.1 percent of steals (8-44) and eight percent of triples (1-12).
• Iowa welcomes back third-team All-Big Ten selection Izaya Fullard (.296, 48 H, 9 2B, 21 RBIs) and redshirt sophomore first baseman Peyton Williams (.295, 15 2B, 6 HR, 27 RBIs) to headline the offense. Redshirt sophomore Brayden Frazier had 10 doubles in 31 games, while hitting .325 in 80 at-bats.
• On the mound, Iowa returns weekend starter LHP Cam Baumann, who went 5-5 with a 4.19 ERA as the team’s Sunday starter in 2021.
• Senior RHP Dylan Nedved has shifted solely to the mound after being a two-way player last season. Nedved led the team and ranked second in the Big Ten with nine saves. He finished the season with a 4-1 record and a 4.19 ERA over 34 1/3 innings.
• Iowa has 81.8 percent of its saves (9-11), 53.8 percent of its wins (14-26), 53.4 percent of its innings (186 1/3-384 2/3) and 42.1 percent of its strikeouts (164-390) returning.

ROSTER BREAKDOWN
• Iowa’s 42-man roster features one graduate transfer, five seniors, three juniors, 14 sophomores, two redshirt freshman and nine freshman.
• The Hawkeyes have 21 newcomers (12 transfers), including Division I transfers in Adam Mazur (South Dakota State), Connor Schultz (Butler), Jared Simpson (Missouri), Casey Day (Wichita State) and Will Christophersen (Michigan State).
• The Hawkeye roster is made up of student-athletes from 10 states and Canada — Iowa (28), Illinois (4), Wisconsin (2), Arizona (1), Georgia (1), Kansas (1), Minnesota (1), Missouri (1), Montana (1), Washington (1), Canada (1).
• Iowa has two sets of college teammates and six sets of high school teammates — Kyle Huckstorf and Jared Simpson (Iowa Western CC); Luke Llewellyn, Casey Day and Cade Moss (Kirkwood CC); Brendan Sher and Duncan Davitt (Indianola); Brett McCleary and DJ Heck (Iowa City High); Anthony Mangano and Ty Snep (Lake Zurich); Brody Brecht and Weston Fulk (Ankeny); Ty Langenberg and Gehrig Christensen (Urbandale); Peyton Williams, Cade Moss and Ben Wilmes (Johnston).

#HELLERBALL
• Head coach Rick Heller recorded his 900th career win against Grand View in a 15-2 victory on March 3, 2020, at Duane Banks Field
• Heller is one of nine coaches all-time to lead three different NCAA Division I teams to regional play.
• The Hawkeyes won 30 or more games in each of Heller’s six full seasons as the helm of the program. It’s a first for the team since winning 30 or more in seven straight seasons from 1979-85.
• Heller has led the Hawkeyes to two NCAA Regional appearances; the program had three regional appearances in its history prior to his arrival.
• Heller is third in school history in career wins with 252 at Iowa, including the second (41) and fifth-most (39) in school history.
• Heller led Iowa to its first Big Ten Tournament title in 2017 — the first conference title since 1990 — and he guided the Hawkeyes to the Big Ten Tournament title game in consecutive seasons. Iowa has advanced to the league tournament in six straight years for the first time in program history.
• Heller has coached at least one first-team All-Big Ten selection in six of his first eight seasons, and has 21 Major League Baseball Draft picks in seven seasons — the most in a six-year stretch in school history.
• Iowa had a school-record six All-Big Ten selections in 2015 and five in 2017. The Hawkeyes have had 26 All-Big Ten honorees in eight seasons under Heller.
• Iowa has posted winning streaks of nine games (in 2015) and eight games (in 2017) — the longest streaks for the program since 2012.

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