By Pete Ruden
Iowa will be on the road for a midweek game for the first time this season when it travels to Peoria, Illinois, to take on Bradley. The two teams met earlier this season at Banks Field, and the Hawkeyes routed the Braves, 12-1.
That game definitely had some memorable moments; both Tyler Cropley and Robert Neustrom crushed grand slams to nearly the same spot.
What’s most impressive is that Neustrom has not slowed down since then.
While he had a stellar freshman season, he has surpassed the marks he made in numerous categories. The sophomore from Sioux City ended his first season in Hawkeye Nation batting .307, knocking in 21 runs in the process.
Now, Neustrom is tied for fifth in the Big Ten with a .356 batting average and tied for third with 34 RBIs.
He has also come through in the clutch for Iowa numerous times this season. After earning preseason All-Big Ten honors from Perfect Game, it seems as if Neustrom has lived up to the hype.
With first baseman Jake Adams in the 3-hole and Neustrom batting fourth, Iowa has quite the dynamic duo.
“Luckily, Robert is right behind me, and he’s a good hitter,” Adams said after a win over Grand View. “He’s been swinging it well.”
Neustrom had the game-tying 3-run double in the win against the Vikings.
Just like Neustrom, Adams has been incredible this season. The DMACC transfer is coming off a series against Nebraska in which he went 7-for-14.
Adams also leads the Hawkeyes in batting average at .358, which lands him at fourth in the conference. He leads the Big Ten with 14 home runs and a .737 slugging percentage.
Before the season even started, people around the program knew what he was capable of. He’s proved them right so far.
“[Adams] has hit the ball farther than I think I’ve ever seen,” Neustrom said at the team’s media day in February. “It’s really good to see.”
Heading into another game against a familiar opponent, the Hawkeyes are in a good position. Iowa has won 11 of its last 14 and has come out on top in every midweek game this season.
In fact, the Hawkeyes have won 19-straight midweek games dating back to the 2015 season. However, their last loss came at the hands of Bradley on April 15, 2015, at the Braves’ Dozer Park.
But things have changed since then. That Bradley team finished the 2015 season with a 36-21 record and qualified for the Louisville Regional. This Braves team, on the other hand, enters the game against the Hawkeyes with a 15-18 record.
Still, the team’s record may not matter. Iowa has been put to the test in a few midweek games this season, beating Grand View and South Dakota State by 1 run each. By now, the Hawkeyes know that each game matters, no matter who the opponent is.
“We’re trying to hit the baseball, field the baseball,” designated hitter Austin Guzzo said after defeating Western Illinois, Iowa’s last midweek battle. “It doesn’t matter who’s hitting it or who’s throwing at us. It’s just a game of beating the ball, and trying to win, and producing runs as much as possible.”
