LAST TIME OUT
The Hawkeyes went on the road for a three-game series at Michigan State where they swept the Spartans. They were able to win game one on Friday in dominate fashion (12-2) and swept the Sunday doubleheader by taking game one, 4-2, and then game three, 3-1.
In game one, every Iowa starter recorded a hit, led by Nia Carter who went 4-for-5 and had a career-high five RBIs. Six different Hawkeye hitters hit .300 or better in the series. Carter led the team hitting .667 which led her to being named Big Ten Player of the Week.
In the circle, Breanna Vasquez picked up two wins over the weekend. Denali Loecker picked up her fifth save of the season in game two of the weekend.
The Hawkeyes picked up a midweek win over in-state foe Drake (5-2). Vasquez got her 14th win of the season. Four hitters recorded a multi-hit game.
B1G WEATHER
This will be the fourth straight conference weekend series that Iowa has played that has had a doubleheader due to weather.
SCOUTING MARYLAND
Head Coach Mark Montgomery is in his fourth season leading the Terrapins. Maryland started the season strong with opening weekend wins against #22 Oregon and #3 Oklahoma St. They have been ranked in the NFCA Coaches Poll in weeks two, three, and six. As a team they are hitting .296 which is fifth in the conference. Amelia Lech is ranked second in the Big Ten for slugging percentage (.790) and tied for fifth in RBIs (39). Pitcher Courtney Wyche has 120 strikeouts on the season which is fifth in the conference. The Terrapins are 4-7 in Big Ten play. They have been swept by Indiana and Rutgers and they lost the series to Nebraska (1-2).
TERRAPIN STAT LEADERS
AVG – Jaeda McFarland (.361)
H – Jaeda McFarland (44)
HR – Amelia Lech (12)
RBI – Amelia Lech (37)
SB – Megan Mikami (17)
ERA – Trinity Schlotterbeck (2.37)
SO – Courtney Wyche (125)
W – Courtney Wyche (12)
B1G STATS
Senior Nia Carter ranks first in the conference for BA (.476), hits (68), and toughest to strike out. Carter’s BA is seventh in the nation and is ranked second in the nation for hits. She ranks fourth in the conference for OBP (.521). Carter is one of three players in the conference who has struck out less than six times on the season.
Junior Grace Banes is tied for third in the conference for triples (3). Freshman Tory Bennett is fifth in the conference for hits (45). Junior Denali Loecker is tied for 11th in the Big Ten for RBIs (32).
BRINGING IT IN THE CIRCLE
The Hawkeyes have the best staff ERA in the conference (2.30) and are tied for fourth with eight shutouts. Two of the Iowa pitchers are ranked in the top 10 in the conference for ERA. Vasquez is leading the team with a with a 1.92 ERA (7th in B1G) followed by Loecker who has the eighth best ERA in the conference (1.95). Iowa is one of three teams in the conference to have multiple pitchers in the top 10.
Vasquez is ranked fifth in the conference in BA against (.205) and ranks eighth in strikeouts (106). Loecker is ranked second in nation and conference for saves (6).
PLAYING THE BEST
The Hawkeyes faced 12 different teams that made the 2022 NCAA Tournament: Lehigh, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Princeton, South Florida, UT-Chattanooga, and Wisconsin. They will face four teams who advanced to the WCWS, Northwestern, Oregon State, UCLA, and national runner-up Texas.
The Hawkeyes were 5-7 in those games.
FRESH FACES
Iowa has had three freshman who have started in at least 60% of the games this season. Tory Bennett has started in all 41 games thus far at shortstop and is third on the team in hitting (.333).
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Carter currently is ranked 13th all-time in career hits (204).
Loecker ranks eighth all-time in career home runs (21).
Vasquez is 25 strikeouts away from 400 in her career.
Klosterman is eight hits away from 100 in her career.