Iowa Baseball @ Penn State

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Well here it is, make or break series for Iowa. Iowa goes 2-1 or better AND Illinois does not sweep Michigan then we are in the B1G tournament.

Thursday - 5:30pm - CJ Eldred
Friday - 5:30pm - Tyler Peyton
Saturday - 11am - Calvin Mathews

It looks like rain chances increase Friday and there is a good chance of rain on Saturday. So we could be looking at a DH on Friday?

Iowa faces a good lefty from PSU on Thursday, the other two are right handed starters. I believe Iowa NEEDS to find a way to put the ball in play, PSU is dead least in fielding percentage in the B1G.

I am hoping for the best, but I realize how Iowa has played on the road this year as well. PSU has been good at home too. So hopefully Iowa can catch lightning in a bottle this weekend and get it done!

 

[icu81222]

Great article on the numbers for what Iowa needs.http://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2016/5/17/11687170/how-can-iowa-make-the-big-ten-tournament


After four straight series where the Hawkeyes went 1-2, Iowa finally got things turned around last weekend, grabbing Saturday and Sunday wins over Michigan State to claim a series win -- and keep themselves within touching distance of the Top 8. The good news is that Iowa controls its own destiny to get into the Big Ten Tournament. If they can go 3-0 against Penn State this week, they'll lock up a spot in the Big Ten Tournament -- they'd move ahead of Penn State (currently in 8th place) and would win the head-to-head tiebreaker over Illinois (since they went 2-1 against the Illini this year). The bad news is that they haven't gone 3-0 in any series this year and they'd have to so on the road -- where they've won just four games all year (the only Big Ten team with fewer road wins this year is Purdue, who has three). So that's a problem.

But if Iowa can go 2-1 against Penn State, things still look pretty favorable for them. They'd be level with Penn State at 12-12 in the Big Ten -- but they'd have the head-to-head tiebreaker. Illinois would be the only team that could keep Iowa out of a Big Ten Tournament spot in that scenario -- but they'd need to go 3-0 themselves to stay ahead of Iowa. Again, they lose the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Hawkeyes. Sweeping Michigan -- even at home -- looks like a tough ask for the Illini.

So: can Iowa go 2-1 against Penn State this week? I think so -- Penn State's resume is fairly weak and they've lost several games to teams worse than Iowa. Iowa hasn't had a lot of luck on the road this year, to be sure, but the schedule has put up some large roadblocks for them as well. Their Big Ten road series before this were against Minnesota, Indiana, and Ohio State -- aka, the top three teams in the current league standings. Going 3-6 against those teams on the road is fairly understandable. Penn State looks like by far the easiest road opponent Iowa has had in the Big Ten so far. It's still going to take some timely hitting and good pitching to prevail, but Penn State looks beatable.

So your rooting interests for the weekend:

1) Iowa (duh -- but still, Iowa has to win at least two games this weekend or everything else is moot)
2) Michigan State (MSU winning drops Maryland down into the muck and opens up two spots in the Big Ten Tournament -- which means Iowa wouldn't have to worry as much about what Illinois was doing)
3) Michigan (Iowa has the tiebreaker over Illinois, but putting a little distance between themselves and the Illini wouldn't hurt, either)

We'll preview the series with Penn State later in the week.

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[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

It is a Thu-Sat series, I am in the routine of Fri-Sun so I initially put that.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

It is now a doubleheader on Friday beginning at 1pm central time.

 

[funnyfletcher]

Maryland knocked off Michigan State 6-3, they are now both 12-10 in conference.

 

[funnyfletcher]

Updated standings:
Minnesota 15-5 33-16 (vs OSU)
Indiana 15-6 31-19 (at Neb)
Ohio State 13-8 36-16-1 (at Minn)
Nebraska 13-8 34-18 (vs Ind)
Michigan 12-8 34-17 (at Ill)
Michigan State 12-10 33-17 (vs Mary)
Maryland 12-10 27-24 (at MSU)
Penn State 11-10 27-25 (vs Iowa)
--------------------------------
Illinois 10-11 26-22 (vs Mich)
Iowa 10-11 25-24 (at PSU)

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Iowa beats Penn State 3-2 to win game one. Iowa didn't do much offensively, but it was enough. A PSU error, single, and a walk loaded the bases for Iowa in the 2nd inning. Another walk, fielders choice, and RBI single allowed Iowa to score three runs in the 2nd. Iowa only had six hits all game.

CJ Eldred threw four innings allowing five hits and one earned run.
Nick Gallagher threw three 2/3 innings, allowing three hits and one run.
Zach Daniels threw the final 1 1/3 inning for Iowa.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Iowa is now 26-24 overall and 11-11 in the B1G.

PSU threw their excellent closer Jack Anderson the final 2 1/3 innings, so I am curious as to his availability for two games on Friday.

Iowa/PSU play a DH beginning at 1pm on Friday.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Michigan beats Illinois 1-0. Iowa wins one game on Friday and they are in Omaha for the B1G tournament.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Eldred and Gallagher both threw less than 50 pitches each.

 

[hawks222-222]

Is there any TV coverage or radio stations that someone could recommend. I'd love to listen or watch today.

 

[BondHawk]

Hawks lead 1-0 after five. I don't think that number will stand up, need a few more runs.

 

[BondHawk]

Hawks win 8-0, qualifying for the Big 10 Tournament. Complete game shutout by Tyler Peyton, surrendering only three hits on the day.

 

[2bagger22]

How about that?! Let's get greedy and sweep!

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

I vastly underestimated this team. I figured there was no way they would take the MSU series and I had my doubts about @ PSU. I feel great to be wrong.

Tyler Peyton has been DEALING the last three series. What has he pitched? Like 23 scoreless innings in a row now?

Iowa is now 27-24 overall and that means even if they lose out (which I pray doesn't happen), it means no losing record for Heller. Three seasons at Iowa and he has done things that have never been done here. First time in school history we've made the conference tournament three years in a row.

 

[2bagger22]

I vastly underestimated this team. I figured there was no way they would take the MSU series and I had my doubts about @ PSU. I feel great to be wrong.

Tyler Peyton has been DEALING the last three series. What has he pitched? Like 23 scoreless innings in a row now?

Iowa is now 27-24 overall and that means even if they lose out (which I pray doesn't happen), it means no losing record for Heller. Three seasons at Iowa and he has done things that have never been done here. First time in school history we've made the conference tournament three years in a row.

Iowa hasn't finished above .500 in three straight years since a 21 season run of .500 ball ending in 1991. Simply amazing job by Heller.

To Peyton the kid has really stepped up the last few weeks. After he was scratched a few weeks ago I thought, "Man, he may not even get drafted again". Safe to say he's doing just after today and sitting in the low 90s all afternoon.

 

[funnyfletcher]

Game two, Hawks have 4 runs and 9 hits through 3, looking good!

 

[icu81222]

Peyton had a "Maddux".

Complete game shutout with less than 100 pitches.

Very rare.

 

[2bagger22]

Peyton had a "Maddux".

Complete game shutout with less than 100 pitches.

Very rare.

In Iowa terminology that's a "Hippen". Only difference is the game wasn't an hour and five minutes.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

In Iowa terminology that's a "Hippen". Only difference is the game wasn't an hour and five minutes.

and Iowa still lost sometimes. I remember Hippen throwing a complete game one hitter vs Minnesota and Iowa losing 1-0. That was Dahm Baseball at it's finest.

In other news, Iowa lost the second game 5-4 in 12 innings. Nick Allgeyer started, no Calvin Mathews. I wonder if Heller didn't want him pitching on the short rest?