Iowa Hosts Northern Illinois on Tuesday (time change)

RobHowe

Administrator
IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The University of Iowa baseball team returns to Duane Banks Field on Tuesday, hosting Northern Illinois at 4:05 p.m. (CT). The game was originally scheduled for 6:05 p.m., but was pushed up to accommodate NIU; the Huskies will play a rescheduled game Wednesday.



Iowa is 20-14 overall after taking two of three games from Purdue last weekend in West Lafayette, Indiana. The Huskies are 11-24 after dropping two of three games at Western Michigan on April 12-13. NIU is 4-8 in its last 12 games.



The Hawkeyes will send sophomore Trenton Wallace to the bump for his fourth start of the season. The southpaw is 1-1 with a 5.79 ERA in eight appearances. He has allowed 19 hits over 18 2/3 innings and surrendered 14 runs (12 earned).



Iowa is 4-2 in midweek games this season, which includes a 4-1 record at home. The Hawkeyes are hitting .269 as a team and averaging 4.3 runs per game during the midweek. Junior Austin Martin is hitting a team-best .429 in the six games with two doubles and five RBIs.



Overall, the Hawkeyes are hitting .259 as a team to rank eighth in the Big Ten. Iowa also has the sixth-best team ERA, sitting at 4.17 and the fourth-best team fielding percentage at .969.



Northern Illinois has a .255 team batting average with 60 extra base hits -- 43 doubles, two triples, and 15 home runs. Nick Drobushevich has a team-best .311 average with 42 hits and 22 RBIs. Jake Dunham has a team-best 23 RBIs.



On the mound, NIU has a 5.76 team ERA, allowing 360 hits over 292 innings. The Huskies have allowed opposing hitters to post a .303 batting average.



Iowa has won five straight over Northern Illinois, including posting a 2-0 shutout victory last season in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes are 23-9 against NIU in the all-time series.



Tuesday's game will be streamed online on BTN Plus on BTN2Go. The game will also be broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network with Zach Mackey on the call.



The Hawkeyes continue their five-game home stand Friday, hosting Big Ten-leading and 30th-ranked Nebraska in the opening game of a three-game series. Game time is set for 6:05 p.m.
 
I hate to say this with about 20 games left remaining but this is a must win for the Hawkeyes. Only because a home loss to a 11-24 NIU team would be devastating to the RPI.
 
I hate to say this with about 20 games left remaining but this is a must win for the Hawkeyes. Only because a home loss to a 11-24 NIU team would be devastating to the RPI.
Iowa's RPI is #83.

6-7 vs Q1 wins. Decent.
But 11-6 vs Q4 opponents. That explains the low RPI.

For some context, Iowa's Win% vs. Q4 amoung current top #83 RPI ranks -------- #81. third worst


So, yep, absolutely is a must win.
 
Iowa's RPI is #83.

6-7 vs Q1 wins. Decent.
But 11-6 vs Q4 opponents. That explains the low RPI.

For some context, Iowa's Win% vs. Q4 amoung current top #83 RPI ranks -------- #81. third worst


So, yep, absolutely is a must win.
The Nebraska and UCI series’ are unfortunately the only ones that can catapult us up far enough. There’s nothing else left on the schedule that can do it unless they go on a .800 tear and that doesn’t happen in baseball (not here anyway). 2/3 against both Nebraska and UCI, and a winning record against everyone else is about the only way it could happen. Drop anything to Michigan State or Western Illinois and I’m afraid it’s curtains, boys.
 
Not the prettiest of games but ... a W

Team is definitely playing to the level of competition.

Needs to continue — Nebby coming to town.
 
Hawkeyes Fly by Huskies, Win 8-6


IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The University of Iowa baseball team pounded out 14 hits and punched out 12 batters to battle back from a 3-0 deficit to outlast Northern Illinois, 8-6, Tuesday afternoon at Duane Banks Field.


Iowa improves to 21-14 with a series looming against Big Ten leader Nebraska.


“It’s big for us confidence-wise,” said senior Tanner Wetrich on finding ways to win during midweek games. “You never want drop one of these games. It’s tough to come out with energy every game. We matched their energy today. It was a big game that we needed to win tonight.”


Wetrich was one of four Hawkeyes to record two or more hits. Wetrich, sophomore Izaya Fullard, and junior Austin Martin drove in six of Iowa’s eight runs.


Iowa’s comeback effort started in the third inning when Iowa strung together three hits to score two runs. Northern Illinois responded with two runs in the fourth to lead 5-2 halfway through four innings.


The Hawkeyes added one run in the fourth on a Fullard sacrifice fly with the bases loaded and one run in the fifth on a Wetrich solo home run. Through six innings, Iowa trailed 5-4.


In the seventh inning, Wetrich continued his offensive tear with a triple to score junior Zeb Adreon and then tied the game at six, scoring on a wild pitch.


“It’s good to see Tanner heating up here as we head down the stretch,” head coach Rick Heller said.


Iowa used four hits in the eighth inning to take an 8-6 lead into the ninth. Fullard delivered the go-ahead RBI through the right side that scored sophomore Brett McCleary.


After freshman starting pitcher Duncan Davitt allowed five runs (four earned) in 3 1/3 innings, the Hawkeye bullpen allowed only one run in the final 5 1/3 innings. Seven Iowa pitchers combined to strike out 12 batters, while issuing zero free passes.


Junior Trace Hoffman (4-1) earned the win after pitching a scoreless seventh inning and redshirt junior Grant Leonard shut the door in the ninth to earn his ninth save in as many chances. Leonard worked around two leadoff baserunners with two strikeouts to complete the save.


QUOTING HEAD COACH RICK HELLER

“I was happy with a number of things tonight. The pitchers went out there and pounded the zone. We didn’t walk a batter for the first time this year, which is a big step for us. That was a good sign.


"Offensively, we barreled so many balls up that were outs. The guys stuck with it. A team that focused on results would have laid down when all those line drives were getting caught, but we kept fighting and found ways to get on base.”


OF NOTE…

  • Martin recorded his team-leading 14th multi-hit game and first since April 5 against Rutgers.
  • Wetrich has tallied seven extra-base hits (four doubles, two home runs, and one triple) in his last five games.
  • Leonard has not allowed a run in his last 9 2/3 innings, dating back to the Indiana series in late March.
UP NEXT

Iowa faces Big Ten leader and 30th-ranked Nebraska this weekend in a three-game series, beginning on Friday at 6:05 p.m. (CT) from Duane Banks Field
 
I hate to say this with about 20 games left remaining but this is a must win for the Hawkeyes. Only because a home loss to a 11-24 NIU team would be devastating to the RPI.
That was a good come from behind victory! Mission accomplished 2 of 3 from the Bugeaters this weekend would be great!!
 
That was a good come from behind victory! Mission accomplished 2 of 3 from the Bugeaters this weekend would be great!!

Aw heck for some reason I thought the NIU game was today. Good to see the Hawks pull out this win, a loss would have been really bad. I agree, 2 out of 3 from Debby would be nice.
 

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