The Big Ten Conference standings currently feature a surprising leader: Iowa, despite the competition from UCLA, Oregon, Southern California, and Washington. The Hawkeyes have surpassed expectations this season, as they were initially ranked ninth in the conference by D1Baseball.com. With an overall record of 27-11 and a conference tally of 17-4, Iowa recently dominated Michigan in a three-game series and now leads UCLA by 2 1/2 games.
With one of the most challenging finishes in the Big Ten ahead, Iowa is set to host Indiana this week. They will then travel to Washington in early May and close at home against Oregon later that month. Each of these teams is within the top six of the standings, presenting a formidable challenge for Iowa. Additionally, the Hawkeyes will face Oregon State in a nonconference matchup in Des Moines from May 9-11.
Iowa continues to excel at the plate, boasting a .310 team batting average, with standout performances from players such as Gable Mitchell, Reese Moore, Miles Risley, and Ben Wilmes, who are all hitting .320 or above. Their offensive prowess is evident with an average of over 9 runs per game during conference play.
On the mound, left-hander Cade Obermueller leads Iowaโs rotation after deciding to return to school instead of entering the 2024 Major League Baseball draft. He has improved his fastball and refined his slider and changeup, currently topping the Big Ten in strikeouts and reducing his walk rate by half. Together with Aaron Savary and Reece Beuter, Iowaโs pitching trio has combined for a 14-2 record and a commendable 3.34 ERA, averaging 10.6 strikeouts with 3.5 walks per nine innings.
In other college baseball news, Texas solidifies its position as the No. 1 team in national polls after a successful sweep against Auburn. Clemson captures the second spot with North Carolina in third according to Baseball America. However, Oregon State slots into the third position in D1Baseballโs ranking. Texas has widened its lead in the Southeastern Conference, winning 10 of its last 11 league games. Kimble Schuessler made headlines with an impressive eight-RBI performance in a victory over Auburn.
Meanwhile, Arkansas lost two out of three games to Texas A&M, which has seen a resurgence with wins in nine out of its last ten games, including three consecutive SEC series triumphs. A heartwarming moment unfolded during Mississippiโs 12-2 victory over South Carolina when a grand slam hit by Austin Fawley was caught in the stands by his mother, who celebrated enthusiastically.
The Kansas Jayhawks keep elevating their season, sweeping Kansas State to tie their 2024 win total with 15 games still to go. Yale freshman Jack Ohmanโs outstanding pitching record faced a small setback, but his ERA remains commendable. Oregonโs Mason Neville claimed the national lead in home runs, and Miami secured its first sweep of a top-15 opponent since 2022. Clemsonโs Drew Titsworth marked his first start with a stellar performance, while West Virginia extended its winning streak to 14 games.