Baseball Weekend Preview: Iowa
by 40AS on Mar 12, 2010 9:01 AM CST
in Texas Longhorns Baseball
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PrintThe Hawkeyes from the Big Ten come to Austin this weekend for a four-game set. Texas and Iowa will square off on Friday night at 6, followed by a double header at 12:30 Saturday afternoon and the finale at 1:00 Sunday.
Texas has struggled mightily at the plate in three of its last four games, but credit the pitching, defense, and ability to take advantage of what few scoring opportunities the Longhorns have given themselves for the fact that they have only lost one of those ball games. The pitching in particular has been everything we hoped and believed it would be at the beginning of the year: strong for nine innings. The really interesting thing to watch this weekend, though, is that Texas Sports lists Texas' Sunday starter as lefty Hoby Milner--not Austin Dicharry, who pitched well in the midweek contest against Texas State.
Iowa comes into this weekend at 4-5, having played all nine games to start the season on the road. Northern teams are used to this grueling schedule, but it no doubt has an impact on their performance right around this time of year. Last weekend they lost 3 of 4 to KU in Lawrence, which may not be anything to be ashamed of as Kansas is 9-3 and has been projected to have one of its better squads this season. We'll find out just how good the Jayhawks are this weekend when they travel to Baton Rouge to face top-ranked LSU.
But, back to the Hawkeyes. Their top hitter is Kurtis Muller, who is hitting .474 in 38 at-bats. More importantly, Muller has been responsible for an impressive 16 runs through eight appearances--scoring 10 and driving in six. On the mound Iowa has been good-not-great; Saturday nightcap starter Zach Kenyon has a scary-looking ERA, but this will be his first start on the season and he has thrown only 8.2 innings total so far. What does that mean for Texas? This weekend should provide an opportunity to take fear from bats again.
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (From Texas Sports Preview)
Friday, March 12, 2010 - 6 p.m. Central
Texas: RHP Taylor Jungmann (2-0, 0.83 ERA)
Iowa: LHP Jarred Hippen (1-1, 3.79 ERA)
Saturday, March 13, 2010 - 12:30 p.m. Central
Texas: RHP Cole Green (3-0, 3.63 ERA)
Iowa: RHP Phil Schreiber (1-0, 5.79 ERA)
Texas: RHP Brandon Workman (1-1, 2.84 ERA)
Iowa: RHP Zach Kenyon (0-0, 1.04 ERA)
Sunday, March 14, 2010 - 1 p.m. Central
Texas: LHP Hoby Milner (0-0, 2.08 ERA)
Iowa: LHP Zach Robertson (2-1, 9.58 ERA)
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36 Inning Weekend
With the arrival of spring break three short hours from now, I’m hoping to catch at least three of the four games. As long as we can continue to get scrappy runs anyway possible it looks like it is going to be a great weekend. It’s comforting to know that in all likelihood Iowa doesn’t have anything close to the firepower of Ruffin and Dicharry waiting on the bench for when fatigue sets in.
Hippen is a very sharp lefty in game 1
Creates a lot of ground balls and Ks. Schreiber was responsible for the win over ranked Kansas. Both can be dangerous, but Iowa has a tendency to fall apart at the most opportune times.
Also, Kurtis Miller might share some thoughts over at Ping! where he has a season blog.
http://www.pingbaseball.com/blogs/?p=1286
by formerlyanonymous on Mar 12, 2010 10:01 AM CST reply actions
Seems like he may be the go-to weekday starter
Since it’s a 4 game series. Guess that moves Dicharry back to long reliever, Stayton Thomas as the stopper and Chance as the closer. Now just to give some of the youngens like Sam Stafford some experience.
Regrettably,
I have a friday class (at the gym, not a skip-prone educational voyage) on friday nights from 530-630, which it seems will often preclude getting out to see Jungmann pitch this season. I take it my next best bet is to see BW on the mound?
Rowe
Great throw by Rowe. Thought he had him.
by InDKR'sShadow on Mar 12, 2010 6:40 PM CST via mobile reply actions
K-ville
Bottom four Iowa batters now responsible for 7 strikeouts.
by InDKR'sShadow on Mar 12, 2010 7:12 PM CST via mobile reply actions
baseball in the midwest
So I am living up here in the midwest and admit I know nothing really about baseball in this area outside of our local High School baseball team. But weather wise, I cannot believe that midwest baseball can be as good. Up here the snow just melted this week. seriously. the ground is soaked and the warmest day we have had was upper 50s and that was just this week too. So Texas is more than a month ahead of these guys is playing games. I’m not sure that they can even get much practice in. I also know it is early in the game but still how can we be behind? I hate to see us waste a Jungman performance like the one we are seeing tonight to a midwest team.
Being the guy that covers Michigan baseball
Yeah, that’s pretty spot on. It’s also why the Universal Start Date was pushed back over the last 3 years. Texas used to be able to start in early January if they wanted (although they opted for earlier in February). It’s still not very fair, and there’s quite a few other issues that work against most northern programs, but there’s little anyone can do about it to start the season. That’s why the BigTen and BigEast are using their challenge to open every season as it levels the playing field for those two conferences, at least in the first week.
As for tonight, as I said to start the thread, Hippen is sharp, especially for a weak program like Iowa. He owned us last season, and he’s done well this year moving into the #1 spot.
by formerlyanonymous on Mar 12, 2010 7:36 PM CST up reply actions
Is he even draft eligible?
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
Only if he's a redshirt sophomore.
If you go to college, you have to be there 3 years.
by formerlyanonymous on Mar 12, 2010 7:37 PM CST up reply actions
I doubt he did either.
Baseball and football are the two sports that have that requirement. He can stay for his senior year or get drafted. The team that drafts him only has the rights for a year after the junior draft (I think).
by formerlyanonymous on Mar 12, 2010 7:39 PM CST up reply actions
my mistake
we will have one of the best friday nighters for the next two years, then. gotta enjoy that
very well could be, talented as he is
probably my favorite pitcher since Huston (though C Wood has a special place in my heart especially after the BC game last year)
earlier in the game they said
the pitcher for Iowa wants them to hit the ball but to hit it off balance so the defense makes the play. Seems right after watching 6 innings. We are hitting it but except for a couple of long shots caught by the track we have hit quite a few on the ground to the shortstop.
13 Ks thru 6.1 innings
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
Pass ball gets runner to 2nd. 1 out
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
I'd argue that's Texas's M.O. of late
Great pitching with meh hitting, especially against a good pitcher.
by formerlyanonymous on Mar 12, 2010 7:44 PM CST up reply actions
whew! nice line shot down the line
but foul…
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
2-2 count for Taylor
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
Full count
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
Got the K!
Thats 14
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
either way, as was pointed out in an earlier post
i’d rather the games we lose are low scoring affairs than 13-12 contests. also i’ve seen this team pull it together in the 8th and 9th innings after getting nothing all game a lot more than i would expect
0-1 count
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
0-2 count to Trevor Willis of Iowa
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
15th K!!!
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
This is incredible!
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
15 Ks?
Just wow!
"The best decision I ever made was coming to Texas," James said. "The second-best decision was coming back."
He's around 81 as of Lusson's walk.
I can’t imagine he goes over 110.
by formerlyanonymous on Mar 12, 2010 7:55 PM CST up reply actions
full count
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
Lusson walks
2 down
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
Montalbano up
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
0-1
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
1-1
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
1-2
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
Montalbano K's
side retired
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
I think that puts Hippen at 85
pitches that is.
by formerlyanonymous on Mar 12, 2010 7:56 PM CST up reply actions
I quick count 105
via game tracker. May not be 100% accurate, but should be very close
by formerlyanonymous on Mar 12, 2010 7:58 PM CST up reply actions
Texas State?
yup
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
Gotta love Texas women
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
0-1 count
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
Foul 1-2 count
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
kinda hard to blame it on him
tough pitch to catch
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
Strikeout
pass ball runner to 1st. 16th K
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
I disagree
The fact you can have a triple play without the defense even touching the ball is the strangest rule in baseball. 1st and 2nd no outs, runner on first goes, ball is popped up (infield fly rule, batter out), runner from second keeps running, passes the runner on second (runner from first is out), ball lands on the runner on second (out for touching a live batted ball). That’s three outs, defense hasn’t touched the ball.
by formerlyanonymous on Mar 12, 2010 8:03 PM CST up reply actions
But then again, I'm just an umpire.
by formerlyanonymous on Mar 12, 2010 8:04 PM CST up reply actions
Yeah... agreed.
I’ve seen kids swing at pitches that were thrown 15 feet in the air for a free base. Totally worthless.
by formerlyanonymous on Mar 12, 2010 8:07 PM CST up reply actions
Rupp guns out the steal
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
lost my feed
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
17 K's
lol
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
Those are wild pitches, not pass balls
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
Only if swinging strikes. A catcher should catch any called strike
Unless the umpire royally screws up
by formerlyanonymous on Mar 12, 2010 8:05 PM CST up reply actions
3-0 count
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
3-1 count
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
Ball 4
2 runners on
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
SKip going to the bullpen
Give him a hand…way to go TJ
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
how do we feel about thomas?
i dont know much on his background, but he’s seemed reasonably solid so far
Extra inning?
Not funny
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
really glad to see Etier picking up his game
as a fellow WHS alum it was rough to see the way he started the season
Etier?
Suck it 40AS! lol
Stumpy: It's called the '80s. Ford was president, Nixon was in the White House, and FDR was running this country into the ground.
Friday night, a glass of cold beer, a laptop, Texas baseball
and you guys. that is not pathetic is it?
I'm doing the same thing, so at least you're not doing it alone!
We still might both be pathetic though.
Chance
Ruffins in. Lights out Hawkeyes.
by InDKR'sShadow on Mar 12, 2010 8:20 PM CST via mobile reply actions
Or tonight is going to be a good night
or “B-E-P, we reppin’ it”, although I think that last one makes no sense in this occasion.
by formerlyanonymous on Mar 12, 2010 8:29 PM CST up reply actions
I was hoping for a Baylor the game away
Intentional walk but airmail to the backstop for the walk off run.
by formerlyanonymous on Mar 12, 2010 8:39 PM CST up reply actions
But as a fan, the “unathletic guy commercial” and zooming in on that guy in the front row was awesomer
by formerlyanonymous on Mar 12, 2010 8:42 PM CST up reply actions
I still think you do.
I can’t see Iowa winning this.
by formerlyanonymous on Mar 12, 2010 8:43 PM CST up reply actions
Technically
when talking priority, it goes center field, corner outfield, short stop, second, corner infielders, catcher, pitcher. I don’t think it was necessary, but pop ups are generally called in that order. I guess out could argue that the second baseman has a better glove for pop ups.
by formerlyanonymous on Mar 12, 2010 8:49 PM CST up reply actions
I was wondering about the glove. That would make sense.
But still. He was under it and had to move away to make room for the second baseman.
that 9-1-2 was money for us tonight
say what you want about our batting, but we have been pretty clutch so far this season
Great watching the game with everyone. Remember though, tomorrow could be another close one with Schreiber. I don’t think he’s really that good, more of a fly ball pitcher, leading to more solid line drives as he gets tired. That said, he did lead the Hawkeyes to victory over Kansas.
by formerlyanonymous on Mar 12, 2010 8:56 PM CST reply actions
Line ups
Walla is taking Rowe in center. Walsh is catching.
by InDKR'sShadow on Mar 13, 2010 12:21 PM CST via mobile reply actions
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