Preview: Iowa's Path at B1G Tournament

Hawkeyes Open Postseason Play Tuesday Morning in Omaha Against Michigan

It won’t take long for Iowa to make its presence known at the Big Ten baseball tournament.

The Hawkeyes, the No. 3 seed, play the opener of the five-day event, taking on No. 6 seed Michigan at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.

Iowa (39-13 overall, 15-8 Big Ten) heads into the tournament having won eight of its last 10, and is seemingly in good shape for an NCAA tournament berth. But every win the Hawkeyes can pick up in Omaha can help secure their postseason plans.

Breaking down the storylines of the tournament:

• PITCHING PLANS: Iowa coach Rick Heller has been looking for that right three-game series combination of starting pitchers this season, and it seems the current rotation — Marcus Morgan first, Ty Langenberg second, Brody Brecht third — is probably the best plan.

Morgan (4-2, 4.14 ERA) has struck out 62 in 54 ⅓ innings, allowing 33 hits. Opponents are hitting .179 against him.

Morgan has been the lead starter the last two series, and has allowed just three hits in the last 10 innings.

Brecht has been impressive all season since announcing he was giving up his plans to play football as well. Brecht has 96 strikeouts in 65 ⅓ innings, with opponents hitting just .141 against him.

Brecht has had his control issues — he has walked a team-high 54 — but in his last two starts he has allowed just two hits and one run while striking out 17.

What happens after those three starters is unclear. Keaton Anthony, the team’s leading hitter at .389, has also made six starts as a pitcher, but he hasn’t played since May 2 and his status is unclear for the tournament. No other pitcher has made more than two starts.

Iowa leads the conference in ERA (4.13), strikeouts (548) and opponents’ batting average (.210), so this is a deep staff that can get the Hawkeyes through what can be a lengthy tournament.

• THE OFFENSE WITHOUT ANTHONY: The Hawkeyes haven’t gotten out of their rhythm on offense without Anthony, who has a 1.206 OPS.

Iowa has averaged more than nine runs per game in the nine games since Anthony was dropped from the lineup.

Brennen Dorighi is the anchor of this lineup, hitting .351 with 13 home runs and 60 runs batted in. Michael Seegers is hitting .313 and Raider Tello is hitting .303.

But what makes this lineup especially dangerous is the runs can come from anywhere. Sam Petersen, shaking off a hand injury from early in the year, hits .333, while Brayden Frazier is hitting .311.

The Hawkeyes have hit 63 home runs, so the pop can come from anywhere.

• SCOUTING THE WOLVERINES: Michigan is on a four-game losing streak, and has won four of its last 10 games.

Michigan has just two hitters over .300, led by Jonathan Kim’s .331 average. The Wolverines don’t have a lot of power — Ted Burton has 12 home runs, but no one else is in double figures.

Connor O’Halloran figures to be the starting pitcher for Tuesday’s game. He went 8-5 this season with 103 strikeouts in 97 innings.

• STARTING STRONG: Yes, it’s a double-elimination tournament, but don’t stumble in the opener.

The winner of Tuesday’s game doesn’t have to play again until Thursday, which allows you to reset and rest your pitching for the busy weekend ahead. Lose, and you’re back on the field the next night and every game is an elimination one from then on.

• GETTING TO THE NEXT WEEK: Iowa’s bid in the NCAA tournament seems secure.

The Hawkeyes are usually on the 3 seed line in a four-team regional in the various mock brackets, which is a good sign that a stumble this week won’t be as costly as it has been in other years.

A record of note: Iowa is 8-1 on neutral fields this year. That’s a good sign for this week, and next week.