Exceeding Expectations: Putting Iowa Baseball's red-hot offense in context

Prior to the start of the Iowa Baseball season, there was a feeling of cautious optimism around the offense. Although they returned just six of their top 13 in total at-bats from last season, but a mix of returning veterans and talented fresh faces, including several transfers had the coaching staff feeling hopeful.

Now, at the halfway point of the season, the Hawkeye hitters have far exceeded expectations, leading the Big Ten in runs per game (9.15), batting average (.317) and hits per game (11.07), while they rank second in on-base percentage (.434). They also rank third in extra base hits (114) and sixth in home runs (40). Despite what the numbers show, Iowa’s offensive success took a few weeks to get going.

Through the first nine games of the season, the Hawkeyes had a 3-6 record, averaging just 5.1 runs, but 10.4 hits per game. The offense struggled to hit with runners in scoring position leading to several losses that could have been flipped to wins.

“One of the things that we weren’t doing in those first ten games, we would get guys in scoring position and then we just didn’t get a hit,” said Coach Rick Heller. “Once one or two guys started to break down that barrier and get those hits, then it just kind of spreads to the rest of the group.”

That barrier was seemingly broken down in their 14-3 run-rule victory over Washington State back on March 2nd. Although it was a disappointing series overall, dropping three of four against the Cougars, the series finale win was what got the wheels turning offensively.

“This group has the ability to learn lessons without seeing it as a negative, without seeing it as an excuse to cave in, but to just keep pushing to become the best version of this year’s team.”

Led by a red-hot offense, the Hawkeyes have won 15 of their last 18 games, including consecutive series sweeps in Big Ten play, vaulting them into a tie for first place with UCLA. Over that stretch, Iowa is batting .332, averaging 11.2 runs and 11.4 hits per game. The big change has been their clutch hitting, batting .382 and averaging 5.5 hits per game with runners in scoring position.

“To think that we would have the offensive numbers that we do have, that would have been fantastic,” said Heller. “It’s incredible how well the guys are doing up and down the lineup and not just the guys that are in the lineup every day, but the guys who are pinch-hitting too.”

Now, sitting with an 18-9 overall record and a 10-2 mark in Big Ten play, Rick Heller’s squad has rebounded from a slow start to put themselves back into NCAA Regional discussions. Through 27 games, the Hawkeyes offensive numbers are right on pace, or ahead of the 2023 team that advanced to the Terre Haute Regional final.

Here’s a look at how the Hawkeyes offense is performing vs the last four seasons

	Runs/9	Hits/9	AVG	OBP	2B	HR’s	XB%	BB%	K%
2021 (44 gms)	6.56	8.97	.261	.385	93	36	37.2%	17.3%	20.7%
2022 (55 gms)	6.74	9.90	.277	.386	103	50	30.8%	15.5%	22.9%
2023 (60 gms)	8.74	10.79	.295	.413	129	70	35.6%	17.4%	19.0%
2024 (54 gms)	8.64	10.98	.301	.410	111	54	32.2%	16.3%	17.2%
2025 (27 gms)	9.82	11.93	.317	.434	59	40	34.6%	17.7%	17.5%
2025 (Proj 56 gms)	–	–	–	–	122.37	82.96	–	–	–

While Rick Heller has gotten notable contributions from the new faces in the lineup, most notably Miles Risley (.313), Ben Swails (.377) and Caleb Wulf (.355), it’s been a pair of returning starters that have been the most impactful.

Redshirt sophomore Reese Moore is ninth in the Big Ten in batting average (.376) and has totaled 29 hits over the last 18 games, including eight home runs. Meanwhile, infield Gable Mitchell has become one of the top pure hitters in the conference, ranking fifth in the conference in hits (45) and tenth in batting average (.375). Mitchell has recorded 11 multi-hit games and has a hit in 24 of 27 games.

“We’re riding some good momentum, but on the flip side, we know that it can go off like a faucet if we stop doing things that are enabling us to be successful.”

The Hawkeyes will look to continue their hot hitting and stay atop the Big Ten standings, facing the Northwestern Wildcats for a three-game series in Evanston. First pitch on Friday is set for 3:00pm CT on BTN+.