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Iowa Baseball Can Only Gain From Weekend Series at Missouri State

By Derek Helling

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The University of Iowa baseball team faces a nationally-ranked Missouri State team on the Bears’ home field this weekend, and any successes will be a huge win for the Hawkeyes.

Less than a year ago, Iowa was playing NCAA regional elimination games against this same opponent in the same city. Now 14 games into the 2016 season, the Hawkeyes return to Springfield with nothing to lose.

It’s been a rough start to the 2016 season for Iowa, with six wins in 14 games and three of those victories coming against far inferior opponents. All facets of the Hawkeyes’ game – defense, offense and pitching – have been inconsistent at best.

Now Iowa makes the return to Springfield to face the Bears, ranked 12th in the latest Collegiate Baseball poll and 19th in the latest NCBWA poll. Missouri State has 14 wins in 16 contests, and are on a five-game winning streak.

The Bears have two regular starters who are hitting over .400 on the season, and three more whose batting averages are over .300. Their weekend starters are a combined 8-1, and they have three relievers who have made at least five appearances sporting earned run averages under 2.00.

Following is a run down of all three games:

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Friday, March 18, 4:05 p.m. EDT/3:05 p.m. CDT. Iowa – CJ Eldred (1-1, 1.88 earned run average) vs. Missouri State – Jordan Knutson (3-1, 4.44 ERA)

Eldred has been the Hawkeyes’ best starter so far this season, and thus the sophomore has earned the first Friday start of his career. Getting his second win of the season and keeping his ERA under 2.00 will be a challenge, however.

Missouri State averages nine runs per game, is hitting .329 as a team and has hit 29 home runs so far this season. Eldred will need some help from his offense.

Knutson has the highest ERA of Bears pitchers who have made more than one start, but he has logged 25 strikeouts to just nine walks so far this season. Opponents are hitting a mere .228 against him, so it’s hard to say that Iowa will have an easy time against him.

Saturday, March 19, 3:05 p.m. EDT/2:05 p.m. CDT. Iowa – Tyler Peyton (0-3, 5.65 ERA) vs. Missouri State – TBA

The last two starts have been rough ones for Peyton, and the lineup he will face won’t be an easy one to navigate. Getting back to the form expected of him against these hitters would be a huge accomplishment for Peyton.

Sunday, March 20, 2:05 p.m. EDT/1:05 p.m. CDT. Iowa – Calvin Mathews (0-1, 4.60 ERA) vs. Missouri State – TBA

Mathews still hasn’t made it past four innings in any of his starts, although he has given the Hawkeyes a chance in all of his short starts. Like with Peyton, this might not be the Sunday to count on him recording more outs, but doing so would be a confidence booster.

Next: Zach Daniels Named Big 10 Freshman Of The Week

Given the start that both teams are off to and Missouri State’s national ranking, there’s no pressure on the Hawkeyes this weekend. If Iowa can win a game or the series, it will be a huge confidence and momentum boost. If the Bears win the series or sweep the Hawkeyes, then those losses won’t hurt Iowa’s reputation, because Missouri State is perceived as the superior team.

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