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Michigan State @ Iowa Baseball

Wow. Ouch. This feels way too familiar.

Iowa is currently 130 points out of 55th in the RPI. Best case scenario they could pick up 75 points next week at WIU and at Maryland. It’s going to take quite the run thru the B1G to make up the remaining 55 points to get back into the discussion.

Guess there’s only one thing left to do...
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Iowa has to win one to guarantee a conference tournament spot, if we get swept god forbid we may miss the conference tournament.
 
Finito...
I went back and watched that crucial top of 7th inning.

Iowa led 4-1. Trace Hoffman pitching for Iowa.


Mich State had 2 outs, runners on 1st and 2nd. The MSU batter had an 0-2 count. Throw him garbage, right (??), and get an easy grounder or pop up, right (??), where Iowa would go to the bottom of the 7th still up 4-1.

Right?

Wrong.

MSU would INSTEAD put up 5 runs.

How they did it:

The MSU batter goes from the 0-2 count to a full count & then hits a 2 out single, scoring a run. Iowa up 4-2.

With runners on 1st and 3rd, next MSU batter gets hit by the pitch, loading the bases with Spartans.

The next MSU batter hits it deep to center, a double, scoring 3 more runs. MSU now up 5-4.

Still 2 outs!!

Iowa makes a pitching change, going to Grant Leonard.

Next MSU batter hits a single to right, scoring another run. MSU now up 6-4.

Next MSU batter grounds to 2nd for a fielder's choice out at 2nd.

MSU would end up winning, 7-5.

The FIVE run 7th inning, when MSU had 2 outs & an 0-2 count on the MSU batter, was the difference.
 
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I went back and watched that crucial top of 7th inning.

Iowa led 4-1. Trace Hoffman pitching for Iowa.


Mich State had 2 outs, runners on 1st and 2nd. The MSU batter had an 0-2 count. Throw him garbage, right (??), and get an easy grounder or pop up, right (??), where Iowa would go to the bottom of the 7th still up 4-1.

Right?

Wrong.

MSU would INSTEAD put up 5 runs.

How they did it:

The MSU batter goes from the 0-2 count to a full count & then hits a 2 out single, scoring a run. Iowa up 4-2.

With runners on 1st and 3rd, next MSU batter gets hit by the pitch, loading the bases with Spartans.

The next MSU batter hits it deep to center, a double, scoring 3 more runs. MSU now up 5-4.

Still 2 outs!!

Iowa makes a pitching change, going to Grant Leonard.

Next MSU batter hits a single to right, scoring another run. MSU now up 6-4.

Next MSU batter grounds to 2nd for a fielder's choice out at 2nd.

MSU would end up winning, 7-5.

The FIVE run 7th inning, when MSU had 2 outs & an 0-2 count on the MSU batter, was the difference.
Absolutely horrible, what are the odds of something like this happening? Didn't realize we had 2 outs when they scored all their runs.
 
A dagger to the heart ... multiple times.

I know it’s easy to second guess but I was imploring Heller to go the the ‘pen earlier in the 7th. It just felt like it was MSU’s “last gasp” and Hoffman didn’t quite have it.

Can’t dwell. Beat WIU and then make a statement on the road. Get into the B1G and see what damage can be done.
 
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Who is responsible for the scheduling? Heller? Or is he handcuffed by your AD?

Over half of Iowa’s games fall into tier 4 games on RPI. This leaves no wiggle room at all.
 
Who is responsible for the scheduling? Heller? Or is he handcuffed by your AD?

Over half of Iowa’s games fall into tier 4 games on RPI. This leaves no wiggle room at all.
Cal State Northridge and Hawaii typically aren't as bad in the RPI as they are this year. The other series' against Oklahoma State, Evansville, and UC Irvine are very good. The Diamond 9 preseason tourney ended up having horrible teams in it. Losing to George Mason (252) in the season opener might single handedly keep Iowa out of the tourney. Midweek games are more a function of finding quality teams within the geographical area. Specifically Iowa needs to permanently replace Western Illinois on the schedule. tOSU, Rutger, Purdue, and MSU are all a product of B1G scheduling. Interestingly Iowa has no Q2 or Q3 conference games right now. Swap Rutger with Minnesota or NW and Western Illinois with Creighton and Iowa's schedule looks a lot better.
 
Who is responsible for the scheduling? Heller? Or is he handcuffed by your AD?

Over half of Iowa’s games fall into tier 4 games on RPI. This leaves no wiggle room at all.

Well I don’t think they thought they’d have that many tier 4 games prior to setting up this schedule. Heller commented on this a few years ago. We played UNLV at home and of course they had an RPI around 200. When you schedule that series they were decent and you didn’t expect them to struggle.

I’d use Long Beach StAte as an example in this thinking. If any of us saw LBSU on our schedule this year we’d say a quality program from the west coast who has been to super regionals recently. Yet they are 11-34 this year and I guarantee nobody saw that.
 
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