Maryland (13-12) vs. Iowa (15-10), Northwestern (12-12)
April 23-25, 2021
Duane Banks Field (Iowa City, Iowa)
8:00 pm ET (Friday, 4/23)
2:00 pm ET (Saturday, 4/24 vs. Iowa)
6:00 pm ET (Saturday, 4/24 vs. Northwestern)
1:00 pm ET (Sunday, 4/18)
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland baseball team is set to play four games in Iowa City, Iowa against the Iowa Hawkeyes and Northwestern Wildcats this weekend. Maryland looks to avenge an 0-2 start against the Hawkeyes that took place earlier this year in the Columbus "pod" while the Terps look to continue upon their success against Northwestern after beating them twice in the College Park pod. Friday night's matchup will be aired on the Big Ten Network, while the remaining games will be streamed live on Big Ten Network Plus.
THIS WEEK'S STORYLINES
Now past the halfway mark
- Now 25 games complete in the spring season, Maryland has eclipsed the halfway point of the 44-game 2021 Big Ten Slate. Maryland's remaining matchups include home series against Minnesota, Purdue, and Indiana - while the Terps have yet to travel to Illinois and Michigan.
- At the conclusion of the eighth week of conference play, Maryland sits at fifth place in the Big Ten conference standings. Nebraska leads the pack, as the Huskers have yet to lose a conference series on the year and possess an 18-6 record. Michigan, Indiana, and Iowa also stand between the Terps and Nebraska in the conference standings.
terps in the mlb draft rankings
- Maryland has developed a number of elite draft prospects over the years, and this year's squad may be as loaded as ever with major-league potential.
- In the latest 2021 MLB Draft Rankings, right-handed pitcher Sean Burke seems poised to be one of Maryland's highest draftees in program history. Baseball America has the Sutton, Mass. native ranked 43rd in the nation, while Burke stands at No. 65 in MLB Pipeline's latest rankings. In the latest D1Baseball.com college draft rankings, the publication lists Burke as the 27th best college prospect in the draft and the 14th-best college right-handed pitcher.
- According to D1Baseball, Maryland possesses two of the best Big Ten draft prospects in the 2021 draft class (Sean Burke, #6; Maxwell Costes, #10), four top prospects in the 2022 draft class (Bobby Zmarzlak, #1; Connor Staine, #2; Nick Dean, #6; Dave Falco, #8), and two more in the 2023 draft class (Jason Savacool, #2; Matt Shaw, #9).
- Baseball America ranks the current Maryland prospects highly as well - with Burke ranked third overall among Big Ten prospects in the 2021 draft class and Maxwell Costes ranked 14th.
- The 2022 Baseball America prospect rankings feature Bobby Zmarzlak (#1 overall in the Big Ten) and Connor Staine (#7), while the 2023 Big Ten prospects are headlined by another Terp in Jason Savacool (#1).
Statistical standouts in the big ten
- As a team, Maryland ranks second in the conference in home runs (36), third in runs scored (166), second in stolen bases (33), and fourth in slugging percentage (.436).
- Individually, Benjamin Cowles' breakout junior campaign has vaulted him to the top of the Big Ten leaderboard in several statistical categories. Cowles ranks first in the league in homers (11), RBI (31), and slugging pct. (.783). His .783 slugging pct. also ranks 10th in the nation, while his .44 homers/game is tied for the fourth-best mark in the NCAA.
- On the pitching rubber, Jason Savacool's two complete games ranks first in the conference and 19th nationally. Sean Burke's 14.68 strikeouts per nine ranks third in the Big Ten and ninth nationally, and Sam Bello's four saves is the sixth-best mark in the league.
- On the base paths, Chris Alleyne and Randy Bednar have been creating havoc, ranking among the best bag-swipers in the conference. Alleyne's 13 steals leads the Big Ten, while Bednar ranks fourth in the league with nine.
COWLES FOR BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
- Junior shortstop Benjamin Cowles' breakout campaign has been one for the record books.
- The Newark, N.Y. native leads the Big Ten in home runs (11), RBI (31), slugging pct. (.783), and sacrifice flies (3).
- After hitting five homers in a four-game series against Rutgers, Cowles was named the Big Ten Player of the Week for the first time in his career (3/24).
- Cowles has hit the long ball in every series he's played in this season. (1 vs. MSU, 5 vs. RU, 1 vs. PSU, 1 vs. Iowa/OSU, 1 vs. NW/Mich, 1 vs. NEB, 1 vs. OSU)
- The rate at which Cowles continues to collect four-baggers - hitting nearly a homer every two games (.44/game) - is tied for the fourth most homers/game in the NCAA.
series history vs. the HAWKEYES
- Maryland is 5-8 all time against Iowa. The Terps and the Hawkeyes didn't meet until becoming conference foes in 2015.
- Most recently, Maryland dropped two games to Iowa in the Columbus pod earlier this season. In 2019, Maryland swept Iowa in a three-game series to close the regular season and clinch a Big Ten Tournament berth.
series history vs. the WILDCATS
- Maryland owns a 9-7 all-time record against Northwestern.
- Most recently, Maryland won two games against the Wildcats when the Terps hosted the College Park "pod" series earlier this season.
- The Terps are 6-2 in their last eight against Northwestern, all under the direction of Rob Vaughn.
