Tag: Rick Heller

Iowa baseball elevates Mitch Boe to assistant coach

Rick Heller announced the elevation of Mitch Boe from volunteer assistant to one of the Hawkeyes’ full-time assistant coaches for 2024.

After serving as the Iowa Hawkeyes’ volunteer assistant coach for the 2023 season, Mitch Boe is moving on up in the coaching ranks.

Iowa head baseball coach Rick Heller announced the elevation of Boe from volunteer assistant to one of the Hawkeyes’ full-time assistant coaches for the 2024 season.

In 2023, Boe served as the team’s outfield coach and hitting assistant. He also set defensive alignment and coached first base for the Hawkeyes.

Of course, the Iowa Hawkeyes enjoyed a historic season, tying the all-time single-season wins record with a 44-16 campaign. Iowa finished third in the Big Ten with its 15-8 league mark and the Hawkeyes and advanced to the Big Ten Tournament championship game.

The Hawkeyes made their sixth all-time NCAA Tournament appearance and their first since 2017. Iowa won a pair of games before falling in the Terre Haute Regional final to host Indiana State.

A native of Naperville, Ill., Boe was actually a part of Iowa’s previous NCAA Tournament squad in 2017 as an infielder for the Hawkeyes. That 2017 team won the Big Ten Tournament championship.

Boe played for Iowa from 2016-19 where he tallied 144 hits, 28 doubles, 72 RBIs and 21 stolen bases for the Hawkeyes in 193 career games. His 193 career games are tied for the ninth-most all-time in school history.

Before returning to Iowa City as a volunteer assistant last season, Boe spent two seasons as an assistant coach for Valparaiso, where he was the team’s infield and baserunning instructor while also coaching third base for the Beacons.

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A look back at Iowa’s historic baseball season through some of the best pictures

Iowa tied a school record for most wins and put together one of the best years the program has seen. Here is a look at the year in pictures.

The Iowa Hawkeyes baseball team put together a year that will stand among some of the best in the program’s history. Tying the single-season record for wins with 44 while making an appearance in the Big Ten championship game and earning a spot in their second regional final appearance in program history doesn’t go unnoticed.

Finishing with an overall record of 44-16 and a Big Ten conference play record of 15-8, the Hawkeyes showed their strength all year. Highlighted by their pitchers setting the program record for strikeouts with 630 and their batters reaching base 431 times between walks or hit-by-pitch, the Hawkeyes play solid ball all around.

Although Iowa exited its regional at the hands of the Indiana State Sycamores, this season is not a failure. There is plenty to look back on and to be proud of. Here is a look at Iowa’s historic 2023 baseball season through some of the best pictures.

Everything Rick Heller said after Iowa’s tournament-opening win over North Carolina

Rick Heller and Iowa picked up their first NCAA Tournament win in six years. Here’s what coach had to say about the Hawks’ performance.

The Iowa Hawkeyes are marching on to the winner’s bracket tonight versus the host Indiana State Sycamores.

Iowa let things get interesting late, but Luke Llewellyn made sure to slam the door shut on a captivating 5-4 win over North Carolina.

Now, it’s the matchup that many wanted to see. Iowa head baseball coach Rick Heller against his former team. Before all of that, here’s what coach had to say about a terrific win that was for the Hawkeyes with Hawk Central.

Rick Heller not expecting missing players back in NCAA Baseball Tournament

Rick Heller told Sirius XM’s “Big Ten This Morning” show that he doesn’t expect Iowa’s missing players to return in the NCAA Tournament.

The Iowa Hawkeyes begin their run in the program’s sixth all-time NCAA Tournament appearance tonight at 6 p.m. versus North Carolina on the ACC Network and ESPN+.

Unfortunately, the reality is sinking in that Iowa will be without Collegiate Baseball third-team All-American Keaton Anthony during its postseason run. He has missed the Hawkeyes’ past 13 games.

The Hoschton, Georgia, native leads the Hawkeyes with a .389 batting average and 22 doubles. Anthony’s .701 slugging percentage and his .505 on base percentage both lead Iowa among hitters with more than 30 at bats.

The 6-foot-4, 211 pound redshirt sophomore registered 61 hits, 38 RBIs, and hit nine home runs. Anthony scored 51 runs. His 110 total bases this season rank second, while Anthony’s hits, runs scored and home runs rank fourth on the Hawkeyes.

Anthony was one of several prominent Hawkeye baseball players withheld from play as Iowa’s athletics department explored “a potential NCAA violation.” Other notable names connected to the investigation included Jacob Henderson, Ben Tallman and Gehrig Christensen.

On the Monday following the Ohio State series, the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission told Action Network that it had launched an investigation into the Hawkeyes’ baseball program.

It wasn’t long after that when the University of Iowa’s Office of Strategic Communication announced that it had received information on 26 student-athletes from baseball, football, men’s basketball, men’s track and field, men’s wrestling and one full-time employee of the UI Department of Athletics involved in the gambling probe.

Ahead of the 2023 NCAA Baseball Tournament, Iowa head baseball coach Rick Heller joined Sirius XM’s “Big Ten This Morning” program with hosts Matt Schick and Anthony Herron where he updated the status of the missing Hawkeyes.

“We’re still in a wait-and-see situation. I really don’t know a whole lot at this point. We’re all probably coming to grips with the fact that they’re not gonna be coming back.

“It’s a situation where, you know, it’s just disappointing, but it’s something I think that is bigger than just the University of Iowa and Iowa State that came to light. I think it’s a nationwide issue that we’re unfortunately under the microscope because it happened here, and I think that’s probably a big reason why the decision hasn’t come quickly because I think everyone knows that this is way bigger than just Iowa,” Heller said.

As Heller said, it’s certainly disappointing, especially given that Iowa is in the midst of a historic season. Despite the adversity dealt its way, the Hawkeyes managed to finish the season strong and lock up the program’s third NCAA Tournament appearance under coach Heller.

Behind a dynamic pitching staff, Iowa just might have the goods to emerge from a challenging Terre Haute Regional. The Hawkeyes’ pitching staff led the Big Ten with a 4.04 ERA and ranked 11th nationally.

Brody Brecht might be the best individual talent taking part in the Terre Haute Regional in a regional that’s full of great players. The 6-foot-4, 205 pound sophomore ranks third in the Big Ten and 32nd nationally with 101 strikeouts on the season.

A native of Ankeny, Iowa, Brecht can fill it up with velocity that’s comfortably in triple figures. He’s joined by fellow starters Marcus Morgan and Ty Langenberg and a number of relievers that Iowa feels good about.

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Rick Heller confident in possibility of Iowa baseball’s Omaha return

After its stinging loss to Maryland in the Big Ten title game, Rick Heller said he thinks his team has the goods to get back to Omaha.

After its stinging 4-0 loss to the Maryland Terrapins in the 2023 Big Ten Tournament’s championship game, Iowa head baseball coach Rick Heller pointed out some of the positives to On3’s Kyle Huesmann of Hawkeye Report.

“The good thing about this is that it’s not a goodbye this year and that’s the hard part when you lose a game like this if you’re not going. Then, it’s goodbye to a lot of the guys who won’t be coming back and it’s a really sad emotional trip home. It’s not going to be a very fun bus ride home, but when the sun comes up tomorrow it’s going to be gone and we’ll meet and gather and start preparing as soon as we know where we’re going.

“It’ll be a happy day and a reward for an incredible season for a bunch of guys who brought it every single day from day one and have overcome so much here in the last 12-14 games. I believe that this team can be back here (in Omaha) in a couple of weeks if we play like we’re capable of,” Heller said.

Iowa (42-14, 15-8 Big Ten) has already had a historic season. The Hawkeyes’ 42 wins trails only the 1981 team’s 44 wins for the most in school history. This group also joined the 1977, 1981, 1985 and 2015 squads as Iowa baseball teams that eclipsed the 40-win mark.

The Hawkeyes are a lock for an at-large bid into the 2023 NCAA Tournament and the world will find out the Hawks’ fate tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN2. Fans can also stream the bracket reveal on WatchESPN.

The sixteen regional hosts were announced this evening: Auburn, LSU, Virginia, Clemson, South Carolina, Coastal Carolina, Miami, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Stanford, Oklahoma State, Indiana State, Alabama, and Wake Forest.

While the championship game against Maryland didn’t go the Hawkeyes’ way, fans still took to social media to celebrate a brilliant Big Ten Tournament run one final time. Here’s some of the sensational still photos from the 2023 Big Ten Championship game that was.

Adam Mazur is the highest-drafted Hawkeye in 32 years, taken No. 53 overall by the San Diego Padres

Iowa ace Adam Mazur became the highest-drafted Hawkeye in 32 years as the San Diego Padres selected the righty No. 53 overall.

Iowa right-hander Adam Mazur was selected by the San Diego Padres in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft with the No. 53 overall pick. In the process, the 6-foot-2, 180 pound redshirt sophomore became the Hawkeyes’ highest-drafted player since Tim Costo was picked eighth overall by Cleveland in 1990.

According to MLB.com’s Jim Callis, the No. 53 pick value is $1.44 million.

It’s likely the final exclamation point on a transformative stay in Iowa City. After transferring over from South Dakota State, Mazur was marvelous for the Hawkeyes this past season.

The Woodbury, Minn., native earned second-team All-American status from Collegiate Baseball, third-team All-American honors from ABCA/Rawlings and won Big Ten Pitcher of the Year after his standout season with Iowa.

In his first season as a Hawkeye, Mazur went 7-3 with a 3.07 ERA in 15 starts. He allowed just 60 hits and 37 runs (32 earned) over 93 2/3 innings, while fanning 98, limiting hitters to a .178 average and walking just 30.

Mazur led the Big Ten in batting average against, ranked second in innings pitched and strikeouts, third in wins and fourth in ERA. In league games, he led the Big Ten in wins with five, an ERA of 2.59, and 55 2/3 innings pitched. He also ranked fourth in league play in strikeouts.

Mazur registered nine quality starts over the course of the season, including seven consecutive during Big Ten play from April 2 through May 13. During one stretch, Mazur logged eight or more innings in four straight starts. He also tossed a complete game shutout versus Nebraska.

“Yeah, he put himself on the map in the Cape Cod League last summer. And then he came out to Iowa, Big Ten Pitcher of the Year. He throws two different fastballs. He’s got a four-seamer, 93-95, up to 99. He’s got a two-seamer with sink in the low 90’s.

“I think his best pitch is his slider, 82-86, with really good two-plane break. It’s a legit plus pitch when it’s on. Pretty good changeup, too. You know, strike-throwing’s good. And he slipped a little bit in the draft. He had a little back issue late in the season. I think if not for the back issue he goes 10, 15 picks higher,” Callis said of Mazur on the MLB Network’s broadcast.

Mazur is the 24th player selected in the MLB draft during head coach Rick Heller’s tenure in Iowa City. Mazur was instrumental in helping the Hawkeyes finish the 2022 season with a 36-19 overall record.

Iowa finished in a tie for second in the Big Ten regular season standings and became the first team to win two games on the same day at the Big Ten Tournament.

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Iowa baseball suffers debilitating Big Ten Tournament loss to Penn State

Despite riding into the Big Ten Tournament having won their final six conference series, Penn State handed Iowa a damaging, 5-2, loss.

At this point, the path forward is clear. And maybe it already was entering the Big Ten Baseball Tournament, but, now, after falling to lowly Penn State, 5-2, in their tournament opener, the Hawkeyes have no choice but to win out and grab the conference’s auto-NCAA Tournament bid.

That’s the damage that’s done from falling to the Nittany Lions in the tournament’s opening game. Iowa was already squarely on the at-large bubble heading into the Big Ten Tournament. Losing to Penn State, who entered the Big Ten Tournament with the lowest RPI ranking of any team in the field of eight, ensures that’s the case.

Iowa ace and Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Adam Mazur gutted it out and fought through back spasms to give the Hawkeyes five innings of work, surrendering a pair of earned runs and striking out eight Penn State batters.

Penn State plated a pair against Mazur in the third after it looked like the Hawkeyes might have induced an inning-ending double play. Instead, the baseball stayed lodged in the webbing of third baseman Brendan Sher’s glove. Penn State’s Anthony Steele followed with a one-out single to take a 2-0 lead.

Then, unfortunately, the Nittany Lions delivered the serious damaging blow against Iowa reliever Duncan Davitt in the top of the sixth inning after Mazur exited. It looked like it was set to be quick work in the sixth for Davitt after he retired the first two Penn State batters.

But, a two-out hit by pitch and a walk set the stage for Matt Wood. Wood sent a full-count pitch deep to right field for a three-run blast and a 5-1 lead. On a day where the Hawkeyes could manage just two hits against a pair of Penn State pitchers, that was the death blow.

Penn State starter Tyler Shingledecker pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed a pair of runs and one earned run as he struck out eight Hawkeye hitters. The Nittany Lions’ Travis Luensmann went the rest of the way, tossing 3 1/3 innings of one-hit baseball with seven more strikeouts of Iowa batters.

Iowa answered Penn State’s scoring twice in the contest, but with just one response run in the bottom of the third and the bottom of the sixth. Iowa’s Kyle Huckstorf brought home Ben Wilmes with a sacrifice fly in the third and Peyton Williams scored on a two-out Penn State throwing error in the sixth that allowed Izaya Fullard to reach safely.

That was it, though, and now the Hawkeyes await the loser of Rutgers and Purdue at 9 a.m. CT on Friday.

Iowa versus Michigan State: How to watch, listen, stream Hawkeye baseball against the Spartans

Iowa heads to East Lansing, Mich., for a pivotal three-game series. Here’s how to watch, listen and stream the Hawks against the Spartans.

After securing a fourth consecutive Big Ten series win with a 9-1 rubber game victory over Purdue, Iowa (28-16, 12-6 Big Ten) hits the road for East Lansing, Mich., for a three-game series against Michigan State.

With the Hawkeyes sitting at No. 64 in the RPI and tied for third in the Big Ten standings with a 12-6 mark in league play, Iowa needs to play well in this three-game series against the Spartans in order to enhance its case for an at-large bid into an NCAA Regional.

In Iowa’s series-clinching win over the Boilermakers, sophomore Ty Langenberg registered a career-long seven innings start where he surrendered just one run and struck out seven.

“We gave a mature, professional effort today. After a tough day yesterday, we came out with a lot of energy. We were really dialed in against a good team and we needed a good start. Ty Langenberg delivered with that; he was solid today,” Iowa head baseball coach Rick Heller said after capturing the series over Purdue.

After recording 12 strikeouts in the Mother’s Day win, Iowa ran its strikeout total to 507 to set a single-season program record. Redshirt freshman Keaton Anthony hit his 10th home run of the season and finished with a pair of RBIs. Sophomore Cade Moss added two RBIs as well.

Meanwhile, Michigan State (22-25, 6-12 Big Ten) was swept by Penn State. A pair of games originally scheduled for Friday and Saturday were postponed. The Spartans played a Sunday doubleheader, losing both against Penn State by scores of, 15-3, and, 10-4. Then, Michigan State dropped the Monday contest against the Nittany Lions, 10-9, in 11 innings.

The Spartans split their midweek games at Notre Dame and at Western Michigan, losing to the Fighting Irish, 15-6, before topping the Broncos, 3-1.

Here’s how to watch, listen and stream the Hawkeyes’ series against Michigan State.

Iowa rocks Purdue, 9-1, captures fourth straight Big Ten series win

Iowa used a five-run fifth inning to rock Purdue, 9-1, on Sunday. As a result, the Hawkeyes have now won four consecutive Big Ten series.

A Saturday hiccup couldn’t stop Iowa from unleashing on Purdue on Sunday. The Hawkeyes scored two runs in the first, two more in the third and then used a five-run fifth inning to race away from the Boilermakers en route to a 9-1 rubber game win.

The series win is Iowa’s fourth consecutive Big Ten series win and the Hawkeyes’ sixth series win over the past seven weekends. Iowa improved to 28-16 overall and 12-6 in Big Ten play with a pair of weeks remaining in the regular season.

Sophomore right-hander Ty Langenberg struck out seven Purdue batters over a career-long seven innings of work to pick up the Mother’s Day win from Duane Banks Field. The Urbandale, Iowa, native allowed just five hits and surrendered only the lone walk. In the process, Langenberg improved to 5-1 on the season.

It was a great day for the Iowa pitching staff in general. Redshirt junior righty Duncan Davitt came on in relief and pitched a pair of scoreless innings and struck out five of the final six Boilermaker batters. With the Hawkeye pitchers 12 strikeouts on the day, Iowa ran its season total to 507 to set a new single-season program record. The previous mark was 499 strikeouts by the 2018 squad.

Redshirt freshman Keaton Anthony got the scoring started for Iowa in the first with a two-run homer after Purdue plunked Iowa’s Peyton Williams. Then, in the third, redshirt junior Brendan Sher added a two-run double into left center to plate Anthony and redshirt senior Izaya Fullard.

The Hawkeyes officially broke things open in the fifth. Sher drew a bases-loaded walk and Williams scored on a wild pitch to give Iowa a 6-0 lead. Freshman Ben Wilmes followed with a two-run single and sophomore Cade Moss’ single to right made it 9-0 Hawkeyes.

Best photos of Iowa baseball versus Illinois State

Here were some of the best photos of Iowa baseball’s recent game against Illinois State.

Iowa suffered a 3-2 loss against Illinois State for a rare midweek setback after Illinois State scored an unearned run in the top of the seventh inning to propel the Redbirds to victory.

After Iowa’s Brody Brecht got two quick outs to start the seventh, he issued a walk and Illinois State’s JT Sokolove followed with a softly hit ball to shortstop. Michael Seegers’ throw to first was errant and went past Peyton Williams down the right field line, allowing Kayden Beauregard to score from first.

Iowa (26-15) had their chances late. Brett McCleary led off the bottom of the seventh with a single, the Hawkeyes had runners on the corners in the eighth after a Keaton Anthony walk and a Ben Wilmes single and Kyle Huckstorf was hit by a pitch in the ninth. Unfortunately, Iowa couldn’t find the big hit and the Redbirds dropped the Hawkeyes to 7-2 on the season in midweek contests.

As a result, Iowa’s postseason chances took a hit. D1Baseball has the Hawkeyes on the outside of their latest field of 64 projections. Iowa will look to get right beginning with a three-game series against Purdue this weekend.

In the meantime, here’s a glimpse of some of the best photos from the contest against the Redbirds from Duane Banks Field.