For Iowa baseball, tournament starts now

The Iowa baseball team has not clinched a spot in the Big Ten tournament, but the Hawkeyes' series at Penn State might as well be the first round.

Iowa needs wins and some road magic in its three-game series against the Nittany Lions in order to qualify for the tournament in Omaha.

The Hawkeyes have struggled throughout the season away from home, evidenced by their 5-14 road record. While they did beat Western Illinois, 10-2, on Tuesday in Macomb, Ill., a road record that far below .500 does not inspire a great deal of confidence.

An undefeated weekend, though not outside the realm of reality, seems unlikely. Iowa is 6-4 in its last 10 games, and also working against the Hawkeyes are the five other teams vying for the four remaining tournament slots.

Michigan sits at 12-8 heading into the weekend, Michigan State is 12-9. Maryland and Penn State hold records of 11-10, while Illinois and Iowa are tied for ninth in league play at 10-11. The Big Ten takes the top eight regular season finishers to its tournament.

Head coach Rick Heller said the team will try to control only what it can — the outcome of its series with Penn State.

'If we play well like we have, I like our chances,' Heller said. 'It's going to take a group effort.'

Senior first baseman Tyler Peyton said the road problems are far from the front of the Hawkeyes' minds. Though the team is aware of the struggles, Peyton said the Hawkeyes will try to ride their recent momentum through the weekend.

'Our mind-set (is) to win the series, is to win every game,' Peyton said. 'With the tournament mind-set, it's win or go home.'

Iowa may need Peyton's approach, which was echoed by senior third baseman Nick Roscetti.

'Taking it game by game,' Roscetti said. 'Just play our hardest and hope for the best.'

With six teams still in contention, there are a number of scenarios in which the Hawkeyes could qualify for the Big Ten tournament. A 3-0 record guarantees at least an eighth-place finish and a berth in the Big Ten tournament. Iowa could move up a seed or two depending on the outcome of other Big Ten series.

Iowa holds the tie breaker over every contending team but Michigan — the Wolverines won the season series 2-1 — and the Nittany Lions, with whom the series has yet to begin, meaning a 2-1 weekend would almost certainly push the Hawkeyes into the tournament.

If both the Illini and the Hawkeyes go 1-2 on the regular season's final weekend, Iowa makes the tournament because it holds the tie breaker over the Illini.

Going 0-3 will eliminate the Hawkeyes from tournament contention and will end the Hawkeyes' season.

Penn State, Maryland, Illinois and Iowa could finish the weekend at 12-12, in which case Iowa would make the tournament, but if both Illinois and Michigan State go 2-1 on the weekend, the winner of the Iowa-Penn State series makes the tournament.

The Hawkeyes, putting scenarios aside, look to simply control what they can. What they can control, of course, is the outcome of the series.

'We've talked all season if we got hot at the right time, we'd get into the tournament,' Heller said. 'And not just get into the tournament but try to win it once we get there.'

To surmise: Win and they're in. Lose one or two, well, that's where things get interesting.

l Comments: (319) 368-8504; ian.murphy@thegazettecompany.com