Iowa Baseball @ Rutgers

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Iowa is 37-12 (18-3 B1G) and Rutgers is 17-34-1, their B1G record isn't good. Rutgers is around 200 in the RPI, so Iowa definitely needs to take care of business this weekend as A LOT is on the line.

Iowa sweeps AND Nebraska takes 2/3 from Illinois = B1G Champions
Iowa takes 2/3 AND Nebraska sweeps Illinois = B1G Champions

Anything else happens and we finish 2nd, as I said regardless Iowa needs to take care of business. These will be Rutgers last games of the year and they really showed some fight at Illinois despite being swept. It included six homeruns by Rutgers in a 28-13 loss on Sunday. That many homeruns in a weekend, let alone one game against Illinois is impressive.

Rutgers hits .254 as a team, but have some guys with some pop. They carry a 6.42 ERA, but have had some good starts in B1G play. Hopefully Iowa is up for the challenge.

 

[SoMplsHawkI]

Looks like we'll be seeded #2 in the BT Tournament.

 

[DarkThunder#61]

Looks like we'll be seeded #2 in the BT Tournament.

Well if we aren't then I would be extremely disappointed in the Big Ten's ability to follow the rules in regards to tournament placement based on conference standings.

 

[PHXIowaClub]

40-12 (21-3) is one heck of a feat. That is all the team can control. That puts them in a position to host a regional.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Iowa is going with the usual Peyton, Hickman, and Mathews. Rutgers is TBA on all three days, not sure I've seen that before.

 

[2bagger22]

40-12 (21-3) is one heck of a feat. That is all the team can control. That puts them in a position to host a regional.

Last year's Indiana squad, one of the best in the last twenty-five years, finished 21-3. If the Hawkeyes manage to sweep this weekend and finish 21-3 they should be ecstatic.

 

[BondHawk]

And we have the beginnings of a mess on our hands, down 3-0 after 3. Time to start grinding out some runs against these chumps and their 6.42 team ERA.

 

[BondHawk]

Hawks scratch out one run in the top of the 4th, now 3-1.

 

[BondHawk]

Great Odin's raven...Hawks down 5-1 and Peyton knocked out of the game after 3 2/3. Will need to go all Illini on them to get back into this.

 

[BondHawk]

Hawks get two back in the top of the 5th on a two out single by Roscetti. 5-3, plenty of time left on the clock.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Iowa down 5-3 in the 7th. Peyton's last two road starts have been BAD, free bases followed by hits. Not sure what the deal is. A loss to Rutgers is a BAD BAD loss. If Iowa loses this series, they may find themselves on the bubble as hard as that might be to believe for some. Loses to teams like Rutgers can really take away what you've done for the last two-three weeks. Iowa's RPI is 21 right now and would probably be around 30 with just one loss.

 

[DarkThunder#61]

If Iowa loses this series, they may find themselves on the bubble as hard as that might be to believe for some.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

RPI went from 21 down to 26 at this present moment. Kendall Rogers seemed to indicate on twitter than our hosting chances took a big blow. Need to find a way to take this series. Don't want to lose a series heading into the B1G tournament where every game is looking extremely tough.

 

[2bagger22]

Really need Houston to drop a game or two this weekend. They won via walkoff last night.

 

[Hawk-A-Doodle-Doo]

RPI went from 21 down to 26 at this present moment. Kendall Rogers seemed to indicate on twitter than our hosting chances took a big blow. Need to find a way to take this series. Don't want to lose a series heading into the B1G tournament where every game is looking extremely tough.

Tough loss, no doubt. But we were probably due to throw up a stinker at some point....and you figured Rutgers would play with some pride after getting their doors blown off by the Illini last time out.

No time for panic. One thing Doodle has said repeatedly over the course of the past two years is that Heller seems to be just the right guy to guide this program through the ebb and flow of a long college baseball season. Runs a tight ship overall, but simultaneously seems quite adept at keeping the team relatively loose psychologically. With past coaching staffs, we'd all be right to fall in the "here we go again" mentality. But with Heller, those long, season-killing funks just seem to be much less likely.

We shall see over the next two days plus the BT Tourney just how it all shakes out. But Doodle has a helluva lot more confidence in the coaching staff in place now than any we've had since....well....frankly, since the one headed by the guy the facility is now named after.

 

[BondHawk]

Hawks out to right yesterday's wrong, putting up six runs in the 2nd and leading 7-0 in the middle of the 3rd.

 

[Hawk-A-Doodle-Doo]

Hawks win game two by a final of 10-3. Only one really poor inning, otherwise they were pretty much on cruise control throughout. Rubber match tomorrow.

 

[rbh74]

Prob have to win the BTT to host now, but let's go out and get win # 39 tomorrow.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Blake Hickman threw five solid innings and his pitch count was limited to 70. So he should be in good shape for game two of the B1G tournament.

It was nice to see 15 hits by Iowa AND extra base hits when we had RISP/Bases Loaded.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Iowa loses 3-2 and loses the series. First series loss of the season and a bad one at that. Rutgers started their closer this game (his first start of the year) and he pitched five innings. They then had their "normal" Friday starter come in to relieve and he pitched four shutout innings.

Iowa has nobody to blame but themselves as offensive woes we've seen during the season caught up with us (which we knew could happen) by leaving the bases loaded with 1 out and not scoring a run. Also having a runner at 3rd with one out and not scoring a run.

Hopefully Iowa can shake it off because we are going to face more RPI's 20-30 spots lower than ours in the B1G besides OSU. While I think Iowa is in, don't go 0-2 and give the committee a reason to doubt Iowa.

Also, it appears our hosting chances are done.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

BAU again.