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College  | Story  | 3/5/2020

Scout Take: Iowa

Patrick Ebert     
Photo: Peyton Williams (Stephen Mally/hawkeyesports.com)

College Player Database | College Player Rankings
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Iowa Hawkeyes

What Happened: The Iowa Hawkeyes played three games against three different ACC opponents as part of the Cambria College Classic at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Minnesota and Purdue were the other two Big Ten representatives as part of this clash between Power 5 Conferences. Iowa posted the only winning record of the Big Ten teams, going 2-1, which included a dramatic walkoff victory on Saturday over previously-ranked North Carolina and a less dramatic but still come-from-behind win over now No. 8 Duke on Sunday, pushing their season record to 5-4 after the weekend.

Carrying Tools: Starting trio. Although staff ace Jack Dreyer got roughed up in the first game against NC State, Grant Judkins and Duncan Davitt pitched well against North Carolina and Duke, respectively. It’s easy to see this trio enjoying success deep into the Big Ten season and also gives them a chance to make some noise in the conference tournament. All three starters, for the most part, have been doing a good job minimizing damage while missing bats which should allow Iowa to stay near the top of the Big Ten standings this spring.

Concerns: Lack of star power. Iowa has some nice depth, on their pitching staff and even in their lineup, with some intriguing versatility, but at this point in time their success would seem to come from more of a sum of their parts than by any one individual’s impact. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, and they have candidates that could get hot and carry this team through stretches, but they don’t appear to have that one impact presence that can truly carry a team when it needs him to most.

Best Player on the Field: Izaya Fullard. Fullard, a junior, stands out in a lineup that includes numerous seniors including catcher Austin Martin – who provided the walkoff home run against North Carolina – third baseman Matthew Sosa and outfielders Zeb Adreon, Ben Norman and Justin Jenkins. Fullard was held hitless until Sunday but provided the biggest hit in the team’s final game, a two-run home run that proved to be the difference in Iowa’s 7-5 win over Duke. He has a great approach to hitting with a keen eye and a powerful swing.

Fearless Forecast: Iowa may not win the Big Ten regular season title, largely due to the presence of Michigan, but look for them to compete for the conference tournament title over Memorial Day weekend and earn a spot in a Regional where their veteran leadership and three reliable starters makes them dangerous.

Previous player reports:
Feb. 29: Grant Judkins
March 1: Duncan Davitt

Players covered: Jack Dreyer, Peyton Williams, Trenton Wallace, Dylan Nedved



Jack Dreyer, LHP, Iowa
After missing almost all of the 2019 season due to a shoulder injury, Dreyer, now a redshirt sophomore, has assumed the role of Friday ace for Iowa. He was greeted rudely by NC State’s Austin Murr, the first batter he faced, who drilled the first pitch he saw – an 87 mph fastball – to right field for a home run. Dreyer settled in after that blast, at least for the remainder of the first three innings, throwing his fastball in the 89-91 mph range early, touching 92, sitting in the upper-80s.


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