The long-awaited arrival of the 2021 Iowa Baseball schedule has finally come. Today the Big Ten Conference released the full 44 game conference-only schedule for all 13 Big Ten squads.
Coach Rick Heller and the Hawkeyes will begin the regular season in Round Rock, Texas on March 5th, with a four game series against the Michigan Wolverines, who landed at #20 in the Baseball America Preseason Top 25. The team will then travel to US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis to face off against the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Ohio State Buckeyes, 2 games apiece (March 12-14).
The Hawkeyes home opener at Duane Banks is slated for March 19th against Nebraska, part of a 3 game series. Duane Banks Field will also play host to Minnesota (April 9-11), Maryland (April 23-25), Northwestern (April 23-25), Penn State (May 7-9) and Illinois (May 14-16) throughout the season. The road slate includes trips to Ohio State (March 26-28), Purdue (April 2-4), Rutgers (April 16-18), Indiana (April 30-May 2), Northwestern (May 21-23) and Michigan State (May 28-30). Interesting, to note that Hawkeyes will also face Maryland during their trip to Columbus to face the Buckeyes.
Since, the Big Ten is doing conference-only scheduling this year the annual Big Ten Tournament in Omaha, Nebraska will not be played. The regular season champion will earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
With the non-conference slate erased from the schedule the Hawkeyes will have to take advantage of games against the top of the conference to make a push for an NCAA Tournament berth. The season opening series against Michigan, will not only be a measuring stick, but a huge opportunity to add ranked wins to the resume. Match-ups vs the Big Ten’s projected top teams like Indiana, Maryland, Ohio State and Illinois will be crucial in building a tournament resume.
A full season preview is later to come, but Coach Heller and the Hawkeyes return many important pieces that should have them contending in the top of the Big Ten, as well as for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Before the season officially gets underway, the Iowa baseball program also announced that they are currently in a Covid-19 related pause due to a positive test within the program. No date will to resume team activities has been set.
Here’s the full schedule:
2021 Schedule
3/6-8 % vs. Michigan (4 games)
3/12-14 $ vs. Nebraska (2 games)
$ vs. Ohio State (2 games)
3/19-21 Nebraska (3 games)
3/26-28 at Ohio State (2 games)
vs. Maryland (2 games)
4/2-4 at Purdue (3 games)
4/9-11 Minnesota (3 games)
4/16-18 at Rutgers (4 games)
4/23-25 Maryland (2 games)
Northwestern (2 games)
4/30-5/2 at Indiana (3 games)
5/7-9 Penn State (3 games)
5/14-16 Illinois (3 games)
5/21-23 at Northwestern (3 games)
5/28-30 at Michigan St. (3 games)
% Played in Round Rock, Texas
$ Played in Minneapolis
