First-round game against top-seeded Minnesota awaits confident Iowa baseball team

IOWA CITY — The Iowa baseball team's hard charge into the postseason landed it a spot in the Big Ten tournament, but it also secured a date with No. 1 seed Minnesota.

The Hawkeyes and Gophers have met before, with the Gophers taking two of three in an April series in Minneapolis. But the Hawkeyes are confident a different outcome is in store this time around.

While the Hawkeyes are 7-3 in their last 10 games heading into the tournament's first round, the Gophers are 5-5 over their last 10, including a recent series loss to Ohio State.

'We know what we're capable of and we've known it all year,' said senior Joel Booker, who was named a first team all Big Ten selection Tuesday. 'We just haven't put it together until now.'

In putting it together, the Hawkeyes find themselves in a position to make a run.

'We've been playing confident, we've been playing errorless baseball,' Booker said. 'They're a good team, they've got three quality good starters, and their bullpen's pretty good. They've got some guys that can swing it.'

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Iowa, to its credit, showed all three of those, too — starters, bullpen and bats — over the last few weekends of the regular season. Although they won't send out staff ace Tyler Peyton, head coach Rick Heller said he's confident his team will get the victory behind the arm of CJ Eldred.

Eldred, the son of former Hawkeye and major leaguer Cal Eldred, posted a 2-8 record in the regular season after taking over the Friday night starting role.

'The reason I like CJ in that role is because he's not afraid,' Heller said. 'Every single time he goes out, whether things go good or go bad, you know what you're going to get.'

What they will get, Heller said, is a pitcher who will give the Hawkeyes a chance to win.

He will not be alone in giving the Hawkeyes a chance to win. Behind him will be another first team all-Big Ten selection in senior shortstop Nick Roscetti. This is the first year the Hawkeyes have had a pair of first team selections since 2007.

Roscetti said the Gophers will put up a fight after winning the Big Ten title outright. The Gophers also enter with the nation's No. 3 batting average, hitting .326 as a team.

But Roscetti and the Hawkeyes are confident they'll be successful in the tournament opener.

'We've been hitting the ball really well and pitching has been really (good), as well,' Roscetti said. 'We're just playing for now.'

Big Ten Tournament

DOUBLE-ELMINIATION AT TD AMERITRADE PARK, OMAHA

WEDNESDAY

9 a.m. – No. 3 Indiana vs. No. 6 Maryland

1 p.m. – No. 2 Nebraska vs. No. 7 Michigan State

5 p.m. – No. 1 Minnesota vs. No. 8 Iowa

9 p.m. – No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 5 Michigan

THURSDAY

9 a.m. – Indiana/Maryland Loser vs. Nebraska/Michigan State Loser

1 p.m. – Minnesota/Iowa Loser vs. Ohio State/Michigan Loser

5 p.m. – Indiana/Maryland Winner vs. Nebraska/Michigan State Winner

9 p.m. – Minnesota/Iowa Winner vs. Ohio State/Michigan Winner

FRIDAY

3:30 p.m. – 9 a.m Thursday Loser vs. 5 p.m. Thursday Loser

7:30 p.m. – 1 p.m. Thursday Loser vs. 9 p.m. Thursday Loser

SATURDAY

9 a.m. – 9 p.m. Thursday Winner vs. 3:30 p.m. Friday Winner

1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Thursday Winner vs. 7:30 p.m. Friday Winner

5 p.m. – 9 a.m. rematch if necessary (If one-loss team wins at 9 a.m.)

9 p.m. – 1 p.m. rematch if necessary (If one-loss team wins at 1 p.m.)

SUNDAY

1 p.m. – Championship

l Comments: ian.murphy@thegazette.com