Iowa Baseball vs Sacramento State - 4pm Tuesday

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Iowa hosts Sacramento State on Tuesday @ 4pm. Looks like there is a special going on that day, $2 admission for adults and youth that are 18 & under are free. Also popcorn will be $2.

Sacramento State is 22-21 this year. However, last year they were an NCAA tournament and won 43 games. So they have some talent on the team and statistic wise, they don't look terrible. However, Iowa needs to win this game.

Looks like Nick Gallagher will start for Iowa.

 

[StormHawk42]

What seems to be the magic number to lock Iowa into the NCAA tourney? We have 11 games plus at least 2 in the B1G tourney. 8?

The last time they made it to the NCAA was in 1990 two months before I was born. So this would be a pretty big deal to me.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

What seems to be the magic number to lock Iowa into the NCAA tourney? We have 11 games plus at least 2 in the B1G tourney. 8?

The last time they made it to the NCAA was in 1990 two months before I was born. So this would be a pretty big deal to me.

It's going to take a high RPI which will require Iowa to keep winning. Michigan has the highest RPI left on our schedule at 68. Iowa also has home games vs Sac State, Minnesota x3, and W.Illinois. Along with another road series vs Rutgers. There really are no Top 50 RPI wins left for Iowa, which is cause for concern.

Also, games against the likes of WIU, Rutgers, and Sacramento State are RPI killers. Iowa's games @ Michigan will be a huge challenge as they are potent offensively and have good pitching.

I'd like to say 7-4 or 6-5 down the stretch would get Iowa in, but I am not so sure. Unlike the NCAA tournament for basketball, it seems in NCAA baseball that conference record is sometimes ignored in favor of wins, RPI, and SOS. So a team like Nebraska could get in over Iowa as an at-large even though it's obvious Iowa is the better team. Michigan State getting hot and their schedule down the stretch concerns me.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

If Iowa wins the Michigan and Minnesota series then I will feel good about things. If we lose either or both and then drop a couple of our midweek games and/or a game to Rutgers. Probably going to require us winning the B1G tournament.

Michigan and Minnesota concern me as it seems we've had fits with them in the past. Plus, Minnesota has been playing well recently and is playing for their B1G tournament life as they obviously want to make it since it's in Minneapolis.

 

[rbh74]

So much for getting out of that double header.

 

[StormHawk42]

Lol bottom of the 18th boys. Might have missed our chance with the bases loaded with 1 out last inning.

 

[StormHawk42]

I stand corrected. Won 4-3 in 18 innings. Good thing they're not playing a second one!

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Iowa is now 31-11. At the end of the day this goes down as a W and that is all that matters. Sac St was an RPI killer should you lose. With that being said, this team battled and found a way to win. I mean there was a point where Iowa went like 8 innings without a hit from like the 6th thru the 14th. When they tied it in extras at 3-3 , it was via errors.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Also, our pitching did a hell of a job this game. Guys like Jared Mandel really stepped up and gave Iowa some quality innings. In addition to the normal guys we see out of the pen.

 

[icu81222]

No problem being in tourney. Win both series and may host a regional. Sweep Rutgers, win 2 of 3 from MN and beat W Illinois and hawks will absolutely host a regional. No question.

B1G has earned a great deal of respect this season.

Marylands expectations Coming in and the fact that they won't finish higher than 3rd is the barometer.

B1G is 3rd best league this year. Has some huge wins

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

It's going to take a high RPI which will require Iowa to keep winning. Michigan has the highest RPI left on our schedule at 68. Iowa also has home games vs Sac State, Minnesota x3, and W.Illinois. Along with another road series vs Rutgers. There really are no Top 50 RPI wins left for Iowa, which is cause for concern.

Also, games against the likes of WIU, Rutgers, and Sacramento State are RPI killers. Iowa's games @ Michigan will be a huge challenge as they are potent offensively and have good pitching.

I'd like to say 7-4 or 6-5 down the stretch would get Iowa in, but I am not so sure. Unlike the NCAA tournament for basketball, it seems in NCAA baseball that conference record is sometimes ignored in favor of wins, RPI, and SOS. So a team like Nebraska could get in over Iowa as an at-large even though it's obvious Iowa is the better team. Michigan State getting hot and their schedule down the stretch concerns me.

Because college baseball is f***ed up like that.

 

[Alum-Ni]

I don't think Iowa has anything to worry about, barring an epic collapse down the stretch the Hawkeyes will be in tourney and have a decent shot at hosting. Michigan State is starting to make an interesting case, but I think they have some work yet to do. Most projections still have five Big Ten teams getting in: Illinois, Iowa, Ohio State, Maryland, and Nebraska.........and that is basically unprecedented for Big Ten baseball.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

I don't think Iowa has anything to worry about, barring an epic collapse down the stretch the Hawkeyes will be in tourney and have a decent shot at hosting. Michigan State is starting to make an interesting case, but I think they have some work yet to do. Most projections still have five Big Ten teams getting in: Illinois, Iowa, Ohio State, Maryland, and Nebraska.........and that is basically unprecedented for Big Ten baseball.

You've basically addressed my concern when you say unprecedented. I honestly think if you by RPI and what teams are doing that the B1G could/should have six teams in. Does the committee have the balls to do it?

This weekend will tell us a lot how Iowa will finish, we have had A LOT of trouble with Michigan. They have Evan Hill and Maezes back too now. Their offense can be potent and pitching is OK, so I am concerned.

 

[Alum-Ni]

Current RPI and SOS numbers from Warren Nolan as of the morning of April 29:

RPI
1. Dallas Baptist
2. UCLA
3. Miami (FL)
4. Texas A&M
5. LSU
6. Florida State
7. Texas Christian
8. Florida
9. Florida Atlantic
10. Missouri State
11. Ohio State
12. Nebraska
13. Louisville
14. Oklahoma State
15. USC
16. Radford
17. Bradley
18. Auburn
19. Vanderbilt
20. UC-Santa Barbara
21. North Carolina
22. Illinois
23. Houston
24. South Florida
25. Coastal Carolina
---------------------------------
27. Iowa
30. Michigan State
32. Maryland
63. Indiana
65. Michigan
119. Minnesota
135. Northwestern
159. Penn State
168. Rutgers
202. Purdue

SOS
1. Miami (FL)
2. Mississippi
3. UCLA
4. Auburn
5. Cal State-Fullerton
6. Alabama
7. Arkansas
8. Georgia Tech
9. South Florida
10. Fresno State
11. Nebraska
12. Florida State
13. North Carolina
14. Kansas State
15. Oklahoma State
16. Kentucky
17. Virginia Tech
18. Florida
19. Kansas
20. Baylor
21. Arizona State
22. Dallas Baptist
23. Utah
24. Texas-Arlington
25. Duke
------------------------------
36. Michigan State
40. Northwestern
45. Penn State
61. Indiana
64. Rutgers
69. Ohio State
87. Purdue
97. Maryland
103. Minnesota
105. Iowa
136. Michigan
179. Illinois