Hawkeyes earned respect during Big Ten, regional baseball run

HOUSTON — Iowa came into the stacked Houston Regional as the fourth seed, riding the momentum of winning the Big Ten tournament under fourth-year coach Rick Heller, and having the NCAA-leading home run leader Jake Adams.

The Hawkeyes didn't win the regional, but they didn't disappoint.

Texas A&M and Houston were the final two teams playing on Monday, but the Hawkeyes had a good showing and demonstrated they are a program on the rise. Iowa defeated No. 15 Houston, 6-3, lost to Texas A&M, 3-2, and wasn't eliminated until late Sunday when Houston scored twice in the top of the ninth to beat Iowa, 7-5.

'Congratulations to Coach Heller and Iowa on a great season,' Houston Coach Todd Whitting said. 'They are a great team. These guys (the Cougars) will agree with me that they are one of the best teams that we played the entire year. They played start to finish as hard as they could.'

Iowa finished 39-22, and its 141 victories over the past four years is the most in a four-year stretch in school history. In 2015, the team won 41 games.

'We are a phenomenal team, and we're right here where we should be,' said Adams, who collected his 28th home run against the Aggies and No. 29 against Houston on Sunday, a blast that tied the game 5-5 leading off the bottom of the eighth. 'I can't be more excited for what is to come in the future.'

The present is quite good for the Hawkeyes, which should bode well for next year whether second-team All-America selection Adams returns or turns professional.

Over the past week, the Hawkeyes defeated the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year (Maryland's Brian Shaffer) and the AAC Pitcher of the Year (Houston's Trey Cumbie).

'It was huge that these guys found a way to win our first Big Ten championship,' Heller said. 'The definition of a team is these guys. They played unselfishly all season long. They play until the last out, they don't quit, and they don't change who they are based on who they play. They take care of their business whether it's a midweek situation or a conference situation, and what they left for the guys coming back and the recruits we have coming in, can't even be measured.

'I love every one of them, and I'm super proud of all of them. I don't think in 30 years I've had a team from the first day of school in August until now, that has made the strides that this ballclub did.'

Freshman outfielder Ben Norman had an amazing season, batting .296, and collecting six hits over three games in the regionals. Freshman Grant Judkins drove in two runs on Sunday against the Cougars. Both are Iowa natives.

Sophomore Chris Whelan, the Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player, batted .309. Sophomore outfielder Robert Neustrom batted .310 and drove in 55 runs. Junior right-hander Nick Gallagher went 8-2, but the rotation included seniors Ryan Erickson and Drake Robison, as well as closer Josh Martsching.

Adams, the only unanimous all-Big Ten selection, was the biggest star. His 29 homers broke the Big Ten's single-season record of 27, which had stood since 1992. Adams batted .335 with 72 RBIs and his 55 runs tied for the team lead with senior infielder Mason McCoy.

'I don't know if I'll ever see (a player like him),' Heller said. 'You don't get many opportunities to coach a guy like Jake Adams.'

Where Adams plays in 2018 will be determined by the Major League Baseball draft, which begins June 12.

'(If) I end up getting picked up by a team, depending on the money and the round, I may go play professional ball,' Adams said. 'If not, I still have another year with a great coaching staff and a great team.'