This past weekend didn't go the way Iowa planned, but they still snuck into the postseason.
Iowa Baseball was on the road for a critical three-game series against No. 25 Nebraska in Lincoln, and the Cornhuskers proved why they are a tough team at home.
The quickly dropped 10 runs on the Hawkeyes in the first game, causing it to not even go the full nine innings, and even though the final two games were closer, they were never really in doubt.
Iowa dropped the next two games 11-15 and 6-8, putting their postseason fate in limbo. Thankfully, they were helped by Ohio State's big win over Michigan State and are in the postseason once again!
Iowa's Big Ten Tournament streak was pushed to 11 after some help from OSU
The Hawkeyes needed either a win or a Michigan State loss to get back to the Big Ten Tournament, and after Sunday's loss, they needed Ohio State to come up big.
The game went into extra innings, and a clutch RBI single by Maddix Simpson in the bottom of the 10th inning gave Ohio State the win and punched Iowa's ticket to the postseason.
Consecutive Big Ten Baseball Tournament Appearances
— Kyle Huesmann (@HuesmannKyle) May 10, 2026
Michigan (12)
Iowa (11)
Illinois (7)
Nebraska (3)
Those are the longest active streaks in the conference with Indiana's 12-year streak coming to an end this year.
With Iowa locked into a Big Ten Tournament spot, that marks the 11th consecutive season that the Hawkeyes have made the tournament.
That is the second-longest streak behind Michigan's 12 after Indiana's 12-year streak ended this season.
Even after backing into the postseason this year, it is still a testament to what manager Rick Heller has built and what the program has had to overcome.
Iowa has one of the best offenses in the conference this season, ranking in the top five in multiple offensive categories, but has been held back by poor, inconsistent pitching.
The Hawkeyes have a team 6.19 earned run average through May 10, and it will be one of the biggest concerns during the Tournament.
For now, the Hawkeyes are happy to be back in the Big Ten Tournament and are preparing to wrap up the 2026 regular season against Purdue at Principal Park in Des Moines from Thursday, May 14, through Saturday, May 16.
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