Iowa @ Northwestern Baseball

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Iowa goes to Evanston for a Fri-Sun three game series. This is a pretty big series for Iowa as they sit in 8th in the B1G. I see that NW has already shuffled their rotation and their Saturday guy who has been their best this year will start on Friday.

Weather looks great for Friday and Saturday, so far Sunday does not look promising at all with rain in the forecast. I hope if it becomes evident that rain is likely on Sunday, that they play a doubleheader on Saturday to get all three games in. However, Northwestern might lead the Big Ten all time in conference games being cancelled. We will see what happens.

Iowa's probable starters are not out yet, I think it's a given we see Mathews and Peyton. However, I think that third starter is up in the air especially with Kuebel and Hedrick both throwing on Tue/Wed.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

It looks like Mathews, Kuebel, and Peyton for Iowa. I am somewhat surprised as I didn't know if they'd start Sasha Kuebel after he went 5 2/3 (87 pitches) on Tuesday night.

Northwestern moved their Saturday starter Reed Mason to Friday and Sunday starter Brandon Magallones to Saturday. Iowa did face Magallones last year and he held them to one run in a game that Iowa lost. Northwestern is TBA for a Sunday starter. I am still hopeful they decide to move the Sunday game to Saturday as a double header, if the forecast holds true then I am not sure they can get the game in (80% chance of rain on Sunday).

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Iowa blows a 13-3 lead to Northwestern (5 wins on the year) and loses 14-13. Iowa gives up 11 runs in the 7th-9th innings.

Offensively Iowa was great with 20 hits and two homeruns (Zeutenhorst and Goodman). Calvin Mathews threw 6 innings and allowed 5 hits and 3 runs.

Iowa's relievers were god awful as they allowed 11 runs and 11 hits.

Nothing more to say, I don't really get some of the substitutions. Maybe you feel a 13-3 lead is safe and you want guys who have been struggling to get some confidence? Also I don't understand why you make mass subs and take out 3/4 biggest offensive threats and another guy who hasn't played much but was having a good game offensively (2-4, 2 runs).

Iowa/NW play a DH on Saturday starting at 11am, Iowa needs a sweep salvage the season (some may say over-reacting) but Iowa is 3-7 in the B1G and on the outside looking in for the conference tournament. This was a great weekend to put them in position to be at 6-6 in the B1G. When Mathews goes 6 or more and allows 3 runs or less. Absolutely no reason to lose and especially blow a 13-3 lead in your biggest O output (hit wise) of the year.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Iowa has lost six B1G games in a row since starting 3-1, I don't care how many midweek games you win when you continually lose conference games.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Here is the link from HawkeyeSports, can watch Heller's post game. Basically said no excuse and not much you can say. You can tell this one eats at him...

LINK

 

[chetchet]

shit.

following on twitter....guessing ^are the twittter guy, it was demoralizing. I was just dreading scrolling down the feed.

need 2 tomorrow
Posted from wireless.rivals.com[/URL]

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Originally posted by chetchet:
shit.

following on twitter....guessing ^are the twittter guy, it was demoralizing. I was just dreading scrolling down the feed.

need 2 tomorrow

Posted from wireless.rivals.com

Nope, not the twitter guy. I would take that job though.

 

[ranger3]

Hawks defeat Northwestern 8-1 and 5-0 Saturday to take 2 of 3 from the mildcats

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Good day for Iowa baseball as they are now 20-13 overall and 5-7 in the B1G.

In the 8-1 game, Tyler Peyton threw 7 innings for Iowa allowing 4 hits and 1 earned run (he faced 2 batters in the 8th). Tyler Radtke came in and threw two shutout innings allowing two hits. Iowa's offense hit another HR this game as Jake Yachinich hit a solo shot. Yachinich, Day, Roscetti, Frankos, Mangler, and Goodman all had two hits for Iowa.

In the 5-0 game it was all about Sasha Kuebel. as he tossed a complete game shutout. Kuebel allowed 8 hits and had 6 K's. You have to feel good for Kuebel especially with some of the struggles he has had. If he can get going along with Mathews and Peyton, we have a fairly salty rotation. Everybody played a role on offense for Iowa this game as five guys each had one RBI.

My only concern is Eric Toole as he played the first inning of the first game then there was a lengthy rain delay. After that, Toole did not play the rest of the day. Offensively he has been in the zone lately, so I hope it's not a serious injury or something.

I think it's pretty easy to figure out that yesterday's come back by NW was a fluke, but it is what it is at this point. Sure, 21-12 and 6-6 in the B1G would be better than 20-13 and 5-7. I just hope losing that one game does not come back and haunt Iowa, I feel at this point in conference play they are all important.

Iowa is back home in Iowa City on Tuesday to face Western Illinois before a tough weekend series at home against Minnesota. Minnesota is one of those teams in past years I've felt Iowa was close to taking a series from and they always seem to come up short. I hope this year is the year.

 

[2bagger22]

Sasha looked hadn't looked that sharp since his freshman year. Radtke really has a live arm and he was blowing the ball past NW hitters. Roscetti was a pleasant surprise and a difference maker during the double header Saturday.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

2bagger, any word on what was up with Eric Toole on Saturday?