Tag: Big Ten Tournament

After Big Ten Tournament exit, what now for Rutgers basbeball?

Rutgers baseball had a disappointing season.

Following an early exit from the Big Ten Tournament, Rutgers baseball’s season is now over. But the program is nonetheless heading in the right direction according to Big Ten Network analyst Michael Huff.

It was a bit of a disappointing season for the Scarlet Knights, who were receiving some top 25 buzz in preseason. But a poor start to the season and then a rocky close to the regular season (where they lost two of their last three at Minnesota) doomed Rutgers to another season without a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Rutgers lost both of their games in the Big Ten Tournament to effectively end their season at 33-23 (14-10 Big Ten).

For Huff, the direction for Rutgers baseball is still pointed in the right direction.

“As I look at this season for Rutgers it left me wanting more.  Felt like they had a better pitching staff than last year but…Felt like a couple of injuries hurt more than I thought,” Huff told Rutgers Wire.

“Felt like they got some bad breaks in big series and lost just to many close games.  It would have been interesting to see what the NCAA Committee would have done if Rutgers got to Sunday with zero or on loss as projections still had them as (a) first four out heading into the Big Ten Tournament.”

Rutgers will likely have some big losses this offseason with infielder Chris Brito and outfielder Ryan Lasko likely heading to professional careers. But Huff believes that Steve Owens, the Rutgers head coach, has the compass pointed in the right direction.

“Losing Brito and Lasko will be really hard next year but I really like Steve Owens and no doubt the team will be strong in 2024,” Huff said.

Hiff played seven seasons in the Major Leagues and is a former standout at Northwestern. He now works for the Chicago White Sox and is an analyst on the Big Ten Network.

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Iowa Hawkeyes baseball vs. Maryland Terrapins: TV, stream, broadcast details for Sunday

Iowa takes on Maryland in the 2023 Big Ten Baseball Tournament championship game. Here’s how to watch. Plus, championship game notes.

The Iowa Hawkeyes (42-13, 15-8 Big Ten) are one win away from capturing the program’s second all-time Big Ten Baseball Tournament crown.

To do so, Iowa will have to topple No. 1 seed Maryland. The Terrapins (40-19, 17-7 Big Ten) arrive in the championship game after an opening win over Michigan State and then back-to-back triumphs over Nebraska.

The Terps took care of Sparty, 3-2. Then, Maryland walked off the Huskers 2-1 in extra innings courtesy of a homer from Nick Lorusso to head into the Big Ten’s semifinals. As fate would have it, they met Nebraska once more.

Behind a fantastic start from Jason Savacool, the top-seeded Terps barreled into the title game. Savacool threw six shutout innings and a three-run second inning propelled Maryland to an eventual 4-2 win.

Meanwhile, Iowa opened with a 13-3 run-rule victory over Michigan. Jack Whitlock’s relief heroics, a Brayden Frazier grand slam, and a three-run Sam Petersen blast keyed the Hawks’ opening win.

Iowa moved within one win of the title game after staging an epic rally against Indiana, winning 9-4 when it was all said and done. The Hawkeyes came alive to erase a three-run deficit with four runs in the seventh and four more in the ninth inning to send the Hoosiers to the losers’ bracket.

The final piece to the championship round was a Ty Langenberg gem in the second tournament game for the Hawkeyes against Michigan. The righty tossed seven shutout innings en route to Iowa’s 5-0 blanking of the Wolverines.

Now, the stage is set for Iowa to join the 2017 squad as the second Hawkeye baseball outfit to win the Big Ten Tournament championship. It’s a massive day for Iowa baseball. Here’s how and where fans can dial into all of the action.

Plus, several key game notes for both.

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B1G title game bound! Best photos of the Iowa Hawkeyes’ win over Michigan

Iowa baseball put on a show! For the first time since 2017, the Hawkeyes are off to the Big Ten Championship game. Here’s the best photos.

For the first time in six years, the Iowa Hawkeyes are headed to the Big Ten Baseball Tournament’s championship game.

Iowa dispatched of Michigan again, shutting out the Wolverines 5-0 in the 2023 Big Ten Baseball Tournament’s semifinals. Hawkeye starter Ty Langenberg tossed a gem, striking out nine across seven spotless innings of work.

“Ty did exactly what you expect a veteran with a lot of confidence to do. He went out there and attacked the strike zone. I feel like since the weather has warmed up, he has been really sharp. When he’s hitting with all four of his pitches, he can beat anyone in the country. He pitched a gem today and his quiet confidence is the Ty Langenberg we like to see. He did everything he needed to do to put us in a good position going into tomorrow,” Iowa head baseball coach Rick Heller said afterwards.

The Hawkeyes got started with a bases-loaded, hit by pitch RBI for Raider Tello in the third. Iowa added another run in the bottom of the sixth when Kyle Huckstorf tripled to bring home Michael Seegers. Then, Iowa busted things open in the bottom of the seventh with RBI singles from Brennen Dorighi and Tello and a sacrifice fly from Sam Hojnar.

It has the Hawkeyes back in the Big Ten Tournament’s championship game for the fifth time in program history and for the third time under Iowa head baseball coach Rick Heller.

“We have won games in every way imaginable this year. That’s a tribute to the balance that we have with this team this year. With the pitching, the hitting, and then the big one that we haven’t talked a lot about in this tournament is our defense.

“Our defense is elite level and the incredible play that Seegers made up the middle in the seventh was a game changing play. That game changes a lot if that ball gets through but it gave us energy and confidence to be able to close it out,” Heller said.

It was a great day from Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb. The Hawkeyes will face top-seeded Maryland in the Big Ten Championship game tomorrow at 2 p.m.

In the meantime, here’s a look back at some fantastic still images of the Hawks’ massive win over Michigan.

Oh my, Ty! Social media reacts as Langenberg gem propels Iowa into Big Ten Tournament title tilt

The Iowa Hawkeyes are off to the Big Ten Championship game! Social media rejoiced as Hawkeye baseball blanked Michigan 5-0 to advance.

Junior right-hander Ty Langenberg had his best stuff in the 2023 Big Ten Tournament semifinals, tossing seven spotless innings to help pave the way for the Hawkeyes to advance past Michigan, 5-0.

The 6-foot-2, 190 pound righty from Urbandale, Iowa, struck out five of the first eight batters he faced. Langenberg struck out nine and threw 107 pitches over his seven innings of work. In the process, he grabbed his sixth win of the season.

Offensively, the Hawkeyes’ scoring got started in the third inning with a bases-loaded RBI hit by pitch from Raider Tello off Michigan righty Eamon Horwedel.

Iowa didn’t score again until some two-out magic in the sixth. Michael Seegers singled to left and advanced to second on a pickoff attempt gone awry from the Wolverines. Kyle Huckstorf tripled to center field to plate Seegers and to give Iowa a 2-0 lead.

The Hawkeyes officially broke things open in the bottom of the seventh. Brennen Dorighi and Tello delivered RBI singles before Sam Hojnar added a sacrifice fly to plate Dorighi.

Right-handers Will Christophersen and Luke Llewellyn combined to record the final six outs for the Hawks. After a leadoff double in the eighth, Chirstophersen struck out Jimmy Obertop and then got Cody Jefferis and Tito Flores to fly out.

Llewellyn actually relieved Chas Wheatley after Wheatley started the ninth with a hit by pitch to Michigan’s Ted Burton and a walk to Jordon Rogers. Llewellyn ensured there would be no serious drama as he struck out the side from there to send the Hawkeyes back into the Big Ten Tournament’s championship game for the first time since they won the event for the first time in program history back in 2017.

With the Hawks on the cusp of a league crown, Iowa fans took to social media to react in real time and then to celebrate a great day for Hawkeye baseball.

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Michigan State baseball falls to Nebraska, ends Big Ten Tournament run

Spartans fall to Nebraska to close 2023 campaign

Michigan State’s season has come to a close after the Spartans fell to Nebraska 4-0 in the Big Ten Tournament. The loss drops the Spartans to a record of 33-22, where they most likely will miss the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans showed good fight, but ultimately went 1-2 in the Big Ten Tournament.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on Twitter @Cory_Linsner.

Michigan State to take on Nebraska on Friday night in Big Ten Tournament

MSU has moved on in the Big Ten Tournament and they now have their next opponent:

After losing to top-seeded Maryland to open up the Big Ten Tournament, Michigan State took down the Rutgers Scarlet Knights to continue their quest for a Big Ten championship. The next team in the way of the Spartans is the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

MSU and Nebraska are set to square off at 8 p.m. EST on Friday night, with the winner moving on to face Maryland on Saturday in the Big Ten semi-final.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on Twitter @Cory_Linsner.

Iowa Hawkeyes baseball vs. Indiana Hoosiers: TV, stream, broadcast details for Thursday

Iowa plays Indiana today where the Hawkeyes can move one win away from the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Here’s how to watch.

The Iowa Hawkeyes dismantled the Michigan Wolverines in their 2023 Big Ten Baseball Tournament opener, 13-3.

The Hawkeyes’ Jack Whitlock heroically struck out the side before Brayden Frazier delivered a two-out grand slam in the fifth inning to key the win over Michigan. Sam Petersen also added a three-run blast in the seventh.

Now, after delighting Hawkeye Nation with the opening tourney win, it’s time to shift attention to the Indiana Hoosiers. Indiana topped Illinois, 4-3, in its opening game. That represented the ninth one-run win for the Hoosiers this season.

Indiana plated two runs in the fifth and two more in the eighth on RBIs from Peter Serruto, Devin Taylor, Josh Pyne and Hunter Jessee.

This will be the fourth meeting this season between Iowa and Indiana. The two teams played a three-game series back on April 7-9.

Iowa took game one, winning 7-1 behind a fantastic start from sophomore righty Brody Brecht. The 6-foot-4, 205 pound right-hander tossed seven innings of one-run ball. Meanwhile, Iowa got two-RBI performances from Kyle Huckstorf, Raider Tello and Frazier in that win over the Hoosiers.

Indiana won the next two games to take the series, though. The Hoosiers topped Iowa in extra innings in the series’ second game, walking off the Hawkeyes with a two-run homer from Morgan Colopy in the bottom of the 10th.

Then, in the rubber match, Iowa jumped out to a pair of leads but couldn’t hang on. The Hawkeyes leapt in front in the first with an RBI groundout from Sam Hojnar to put Iowa in front 1-0. After Indiana had tied it at one run apiece, Iowa went back in front with an unearned run in the eighth.

Indiana had one final response, though. The Hoosiers plated three in the bottom of the eighth off an RBI single from Peter Serruto and a two-RBI single from Bobby Whalen en route to a 4-2 series clincher over Iowa.

Now, the two teams meet again from Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb. Iowa entered the Big Ten Baseball Tournament with a variety of postseason projections across the country.

The Hawkeyes’ opening win over Michigan should have them in a good spot to have locked up an at-large bid, but why leave it up to chance? Plus, with a win, Iowa is one win away from reaching the Big Ten Tournament’s championship game.

Here’s where fans can watch and listen to today’s game. Plus, some notes on each.

Big Ten Tournament Recap: No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 5 Rutgers

Rutgers baseball opened up their Big Ten Tournament action with a loss to No. 4 Nebraska 9-7.

Rutgers baseball opened up their Big Ten Tournament action with a loss to No. 4 Nebraska 9-7. No. 5 Rutgers battled throughout the game, but their inconsistent pitching would cause them to fall short in the first round.

Freshman Christian Coppola got the start for the Scarlet Knights, recording six innings pitched, three strikeouts, four walks, and three earned runs. Coppola’s only mistake came in the bottom of the first inning when he let up a three-run home run to Nebraska’s Charlie Fischer to give the Cornhuskers the early lead. Coppola would settle down and give the Scarlet Knights a solid six-innings pitched.

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The Scarlet Knights’ bats would come alive in the top of the fifth innings, tieing the game up 3-3. Ryan Lasko’s sac fly and Evan Sleight’s double gave Rutgers a tie ball game heading into the bottom of the fifth inning.

As Coppola continued his strong pitching performance, the Scarlet Knights started to produce runs. Sleight’s hit-by-pitch, a walk by Cameron Love, and a sac fly by Andy Axelson gave Rutgers a 6-3 lead in the top of the seventh inning. 

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The Rutgers’ lead would quickly be erased, with the Cornhuskers tieing the game with a three-run home run by Gabe Swansen off Rutgers relief pitcher Grant Besser. Later that inning, Rutgers’ Ben Gorski would relieve Besser of his duties, letting up three more runs making the score 9-6 Nebraska. Two walks and a hit-by-pitch from Gorski would give the Cornhuskers a three-run lead.

The Scarlet Knights continued to battle in the top of the eighth inning, with Lasko producing an RBI single, cutting the Nebraska lead to two. Rutgers combined nine hits would not be enough in this game, as the Scarlet Knights couldn’t mount a comeback.

Rutgers’ pitching let up nine walks and four hit batters, as the Scarlet Knights are one loss away from elimination. Rutgers baseball is back in action tomorrow as they prepare to take on No. 8 Michigan State in the elimination round.

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Social media reacts to Iowa Hawkeyes’ Big Ten Baseball Tournament rout of Michigan

Iowa thumped Michigan in the Big Ten Baseball Tournament, winning in run-rule fashion, 13-3. Hawkeye Twitter reacted accordingly.

This time a year ago, the Iowa Hawkeyes‘ stay in the Big Ten Baseball Tournament and Charles Schwab Field came to a close on the wrong end of a 13-1 beatdown from Michigan.

That was the final game of a charge through the loser’s bracket for the Hawkeyes. After dropping its opening game in a stunner to Penn State, Iowa rallied to win three consecutive games over Purdue, Penn State and Michigan to force the if necessary game against the Wolverines.

Ultimately, Iowa’s second-place Big Ten finish, its 36-19 record and the aforementioned run through the Big Ten Baseball Tournament wasn’t enough to convince the committee that it deserved one of the NCAA Tournament’s at-large bids.

One game in, the Hawkeyes are taking the better path in the 2023 Big Ten Baseball Tournament. Oh yeah, Iowa managed to exact a degree of revenge, too.

Iowa broke a 1-1 deadlock with Michigan in the opening game of the Big Ten Tournament with a six-run fifth inning. It featured a 2-RBI single from redshirt junior Sam Hojnar. Then, the big blast of the day came from Brayden Frazier as he launched a grand slam 373 feet to left field.

It was Frazier’s first career grand slam, the first grand slam in the Big Ten Tournament since 2017 and the first grand slam in Big Ten Tournament history at Charles Schwab Field. It was also the Hawkeyes’ ninth grand slam of the season.

Amazingly, all of that fifth-inning damage came with two outs.

Iowa owes a tip of the cap to sophomore righty Jack Whitlock. He entered in the fifth after Hawkeye starter Marcus Morgan walked the first two batters. Whitlock issued one more walk before striking out the side swinging. That kept the contest level at 1-1 before the Hawkeyes had that initial six-run, fifth inning explosion.

The Hawkeyes weren’t finished. Redshirt junior Kyle Huckstorf singled to plate junior Michael Seegers in the seventh. Iowa had some more two-out magic in the seventh as well. Sophomore Sam Petersen launched a three-run blast that made the score 11-2.

Finally, Iowa added a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth on a passed ball and a Cade Moss single that brought home Seegers for a 13-3 run-rule victory.

The Hawkeyes advance and will meet No. 2 seed Indiana in the winner’s bracket after the Hoosiers held on to take care of Illinois, 4-3. Iowa and Indiana will battle at 2 p.m. on Thursday.

Iowa fans were thrilled with the Big Ten Tournament-opening win over Michigan. Here’s the best social media responses.

Big Ten Tournament preview: No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 5 Rutgers

No. 5 seed Rutgers will travel to Charles Schwab Field to take on No. 4 seed Nebraska in the first round of the Big Ten Baseball Tournament.

Rutgers baseball may be limping into the Big Ten Tournament, but there is still a shot for the Scarlet Knights to claim an automatic bid for the NCAA Tournament.

After losing two of three games in the regular season finale series at Minnesota, Rutgers baseball has to re-focus in a hurry on the conference tournament.

The 41st Big Ten Conference Baseball Tournament will be held May 23-28, 2023, at Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Omaha, NE, the same site as the NCAA Men’s College World Series.

The Big Ten Tournament features an eight-team, six-day, double-elimination format, with every tournament game being televised live on the Big Ten Network (BTN). The winner of the Big Ten Tournament will earn a berth into the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Michigan is the reigning Big Ten Tournament champion, winning its conference title as the No. 5 seed in 2022.

Game Four Preview

No. 5 seed Rutgers (33-21, 14-10) will travel to Charles Schwab Field to take on No. 4 seed Nebraska (31-21-1, 15-9) in the first round of the Big Ten Baseball Tournament on Wednesday.

The Scarlet Knights wrapped up a three-game season finale against Minnesota, where Rutgers dropped two out of three games to the Golden Gophers. On Saturday, Rutgers grabbed the series finale against the Golden Gophers with a 14-6 victory. The Scarlet Knights are 7-3 in their last ten games, looking to carry that momentum into the Big Ten Tournament.

According to the NCAA Rating Percentage Index, the Scarlet Knights are ranked  No. 61 in the country, while the Cornhuskers are No. 103.

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Wednesday’s game against Rutgers will be a home game for the Cornhuskers, as 58 miles separate Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska, from Haymarket Park (Cornhuskers’ home field) in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Nebraska wrapped up a three-game season finale against Purdue, with the Cornhuskers capturing two of three games against the Boilermakers. On Saturday, Nebraska finished their last regular season game with a 6-4 victory against Purdue. The Cornhuskers are 7-3 in the past ten games, looking to capture their first Big Ten Tournament title.

The first pitch for Game Four will be at 3 P.M. on Wednesday.

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