Notes: Iowa Hosts Big Ten-Leading Illinois for 3-Game Series

THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa baseball team will host Illinois for a three-game series on April 9-10 at Duane Banks Field. The series was moved to Saturday-Sunday due to Friday’s weather forecast.
• The two teams will play a Saturday doubleheader, beginning at 1:05 p.m. (CT) and Sunday’s series finale will also begin at 1:05 p.m.
• Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for youth (18 and younger). University of Iowa students get in free of charge with a valid UI ID.

PROMOTIONS
• Family Four Packs from tickets purchased for Friday’s game will be honored Saturday.
• University of Iowa President Barbara Wilson will throw out the first pitch prior to Saturday’s first game. It will also be “Have a Catch Saturday”.
• Sunday is “Go Green for Mental Health” and
“Sunday Runday” following the series finale.

WATCH/LISTEN LIVE
• All three games against Illinois 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 eight of their last 11 games to improve to 15-10 overall. Iowa is a season-high five games over .500 heading into the weekend series against Illinois.
• Iowa has won two straight series, winning two of three games from Central Michigan (3/25-27) and at Michigan (4/2-3). The road win in Ann Arbor was the first for the program since 2015.
• The Hawkeyes are receiving votes in the latest NCBWA rankings.
• 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 10 games this season. Iowa is 7-3 in such contests.
• Iowa’s pitching staff has been remarkable through the first month and a half of the season, allowing just 151 hits and fanning 318 over 223 1/3 innings, while limiting hitters to a .189 average.
• Iowa leads the nation in strikeouts per nine innings (12.8) and is second in hits allowed per nine innings (6.09). The Hawkeyes are also 21st in WHIP (1.24) and 20th in ERA (3.59).
• The pitching staff ranks in the top four in the Big Ten in six categories. Iowa leads the Big Ten in strikeouts (318), fewest hits allowed (151) and batting average against (.189), while ranking second in ERA (3.59), fewest runs (108) and earned runs allowed (89) and fourth in saves (8).
• Redshirt freshman Keaton Anthony earned his third Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor on April 5 after hitting .462 (6-of-13) with a home run and four RBIs in the road series win at Michigan. Anthony is currently second in the Big Ten (and 33rd nationally) in doubles (12).
• Freshman Sam Petersen is hitting .476 (10-of-21) over his last five games with two RBIs and six runs scored. The Huxley, Iowa, native, has started eight straight games in left field, has four multi-hit games over the last five contests.
• Sophomore Michael Seegers has a team-best 15 hits over his last 10 games, where he is hitting .375 (15-of-40) with a team-best 11 RBIs. He has four multi-hit games, including a career-high four hits at Michigan on April 2.
• Fourteen of Iowa’s 25 games have been decided by two runs or fewer. The Hawkeyes are 7-7 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 six games canceled/altered 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 seven weeks of the season.
• Iowa has scored 10 or more runs in four games this season. The Hawkeyes have eight games with 10 or more hits.
• Iowa’s pitching staff has allowed four runs or fewer in 15 of its 25 games and five or fewer hits in 13 games.
• The Hawkeyes have played errorless baseball in eight games this season. Iowa is 7-1 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.

A STRONG SERIES IN MICHIGAN
The Hawkeyes won two of three games in Ann Arbor for the first time since 2015. Iowa was strong in all three phases:
• hitting .291 on the weekend, averaging six runs per game.
• posting a 2.42 ERA, allowing just seven runs on 15 hits and fanning 32. Michigan batted just .163. Iowa’s starters logged 19 2/3 innings and the staff used just eight pitchers on the weekend.
• committing just one error and posting a .990 fielding percentage. They were the team’s first errorless game in nearly a month (March 6).

WELCOME BACK PATTY
Redshirt senior Izaya Fullard has started the last three games after missing the first six weeks of the season after breaking his hamate bone.
• Fullard, who has started at second base and designated hitter, went 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored in the series finale at Michigan (4/3).

IOWA’S BIG BASHER
Redshirt sophomore Peyton Williams has hit safely in all but eight games this season and he has eight 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 .340 (32-of-94) with 22 runs and 17 RBIs. He has 11 doubles and five home runs.
• Williams ranks in the top 10 in the Big Ten in three categories. He is tied for fourth in doubles (11) and ninth in slugging (.617) and OBP (1.068).
• 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, who has been honored three times as the Big Ten Freshman of the Week this season,, is hitting .348 (32-of-92) with 12 doubles, four home runs, 21 RBIs and 19 runs scored.
• The Georgia native has hit safely in 19 games this season with a team-high 10 multi-hit games. Anthony is second in the Big Ten in doubles (12) — a figure that ranks 32nd 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.
• Anthony hit .462 (6-of-13) with four RBIs in series win at Michigan en route to his third Freshman of the Week honor. He was 3-for-4 with a three-run homer and four RBIs in the series-clinching win.

LANGENBERG SHINES
Sophomore Ty Langenberg has settled into Iowa’s weekend rotation as he has made four consecutive starts as the Sunday starter. The Urbandale, Iowa, native is 4-0 with a 1.86 ERA on the season, giving up just six runs on 25 hits over 29 innings. Langenberg has 42 strikeouts to nine walks.
• Langenberg notched his fourth win, tossing 5 2/3 shutout innings at Michigan. He scattered five hits and had a career-high 11 strikeouts. It matched his previous career-long outing against Washington State (3/6).
• The right-hander has 28 strikeouts (10 vs. Texas Tech, 7 vs. Central Michigan, 11 at Michigan) over his last three starts and has eight or more Ks in three appearances this season.
• He is tied for first in the Big Ten in fewest runs allowed (6), second in ERA (1.86) and tied for second in fewest earned runs (6), tied for fourth in wins (4), tied for sixth in fewest hits allowed (25) and tied for seventh in fewest walks (9).

MAZUR ON THE MOUND
Redshirt sophomore Adam Mazur has been strong in his first month-plus with the Hawkeyes, going 2-2 with a 3.60 ERA with 42 strikeouts over 40 innings. He has seven or more strikeouts in three starts. The right-hander has started the first six weeks on Friday; he is currently the Saturday starter.
• 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 three 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 (.149), tied for third in fewest hits allowed (21) fifth in innings (40) and 10th in strikeouts (42).

NEDVED MOVES TO FRIDAY
Senior Dylan Nedved will make his second “Friday” (game one) start against Illinois on Saturday. The right-hander is 2-2 with a 4.35 ERA in eight appearances, including three starts. Nedved has allowed just 18 hits over 31 innings this season.
• Nedved recorded his second win at Michigan, tying a career-high by going seven innings. He scattered four hits, allowing two runs and fanned seven.
• Nedved is leading the Big Ten in fewest hits allowed (18) and is third in batting average against (.175).

ONE OF THE B1G’s BEST
The Hawkeye pitching staff has been superb this season as Iowa leads the Big Ten in strikeouts (318), batting average against (.189) and fewest hits allowed (151), while ranking second in ERA (3.59) and fewest runs (108) and earned runs (89) allowed.
• The Hawkeyes have given up just 151 hits over 223 1/3 innings with just 40 going for extra bases.
• Iowa is leading the nation, striking out 12.8 batters per nine innings and rank second in hits allowed per nine innings at 6.09.
• Iowa’s starting pitchers are 7-5 with a 4.00 ERA, fanning 136 over 108 innings. Opponents are hitting just .203.

KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
Iowa’s pitching staff has the top three strikeout games (and five of the top eight) 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 11th-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 and 17 against Bradley on April 6. Iowa has 10 or more strikeouts in 19 games this season, including seven 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 at least one save.
• Llewellyn has a team-best three saves, which are tied for fourth-most in the Big Ten. The right-hander is 1-0 with a 1.08 ERA in eight appearances, spanning 8 1/3 innings. He has allowed three hits and has six strikeouts (but has issued six 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.
• Iowa blew its first two saves of the season at Bradley on April 6 (Will Christophersen/Llewellyn).

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 2.31 ERA in a team-high 13 appearances this season. Beutel has allowed three runs on six hits over 11 2/3 innings where he has 16 strikeouts against two walks.
• Beutel hasn’t allowed a run in 11 of his 13 appearances and he has made multiple weekend appearances four times this season.
• Freshman Brody Brecht has 10 strikeouts over his last four innings, giving him 25 Ks over 12 2/3 innings this season. He is 1-2 with a 3.55 ERA in eight appearances.
• Redshirt junior Duncan Davitt is 3-1 with a 2.93 ERA in eight appearances as a swing reliever. He has allowed five runs on nine hits and has 28 strikeouts over 15 1/3 innings.
• Iowa’s relievers are 8-5 with a 3.20 ERA this season,
allowing 56 runs (41 earned) on 71 hits over 115 1/3 innings. The staff has 182 strikeouts to 69 walks and is limiting hitters to a .175 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 151 runs in 25 games, averaging 6.0 runs per contest. Iowa has four games with 10 or more runs and eight games with 10 or more hits.
• Iowa scored 10 runs on 14 hits — the most runs and hits since March 13 at UC Irvine — in the series finale at Michigan on April 3.
• Iowa is 9-3 when scoring first this season and 10-6 when out-hitting its opponent.
• The Hawkeyes are outscoring opponents, 46-32, over the first three innings and 40-33 over the final three innings (including extra innings).

OFFENSIVE NOTES
• Leadoff hitter Michael Seegers has hit safely in nine of the last 10 games to see his average climb from .246 to .294. The shortstop has four multi-hit games during the stretch, including a 4-for-4, three-RBI game in the series opener at Michigan and a 2-for-4, 3-RBI game in the road win at Bradley.
• Redshirt sophomore Kyle Huckstorf has hit safely in 18 games this season and he is 7-of-8 on the base paths to lead the team. The outfielder is hitting .284 with 12 RBIs and 13 runs scored.
• Freshman Sam Petersen has 10 hits over his last 21 at-bats, hitting .486 during the stretch with two RBIs and six runs scored. The Huxley, Iowa, native 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.

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 five games, allowing three or fewer hits this season. Iowa had three such games in 2021 in 44 contests.
• The Hawkeyes have allowed five or fewer hits in 13 games this season.

SCOUTING ILLINOIS
• The Illini bring a 13-13 overall and Big Ten-co-leading 5-1 record into Iowa City. Illinois swept Purdue last weekend in Champaign and opened league play by taking two of three games at Michigan State.
• Illinois is 5-6 away from Champaign, including falling 10-1 at Illinois State on Tuesday.
• The Illini are third in the Big Ten with a .287 team batting average, while ranking second in doubles (61). Five Illini regulars are hitting .300 or above with Cam McDonald leading the way at .356 to go along with a team-best 29 RBIs and four home runs.
• Outside of Friday starter Cole Kirschsieper (4-1, 2.49 ERA), Illinois’ pitching staff has struggled. The staff has a 5.94 ERA, allowing 242 hits over 224 1/3 innings. The staff has 194 strikeouts to 98 walks.
• Defensively, Illinois has the second-best team defense, posting a .976 fielding percentage, while committing 22 errors in 26 games.

SERIES RECORDS
• The Illini lead the all-time series over Iowa, 130-92-2.
• Iowa had won four straight series over the Illini before Illinois won two of three games last season in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes won game one, 5-4, before the Illini posted 14-1 and 6-2 wins to spoil Iowa’s final home series of the season.

DON’T COUNT ‘EM OUT
The Hawkeyes have overcome deficits to win 69 games since the start of the 2017 season and posted 15 walk-offs. Thirty-three of those victories have come with Iowa trailing or being tied entering or through seven innings. Twenty have come in the final at-bat.

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.

#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 255 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.

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.