Iowa baseball coach Rick Heller. Photo courtesy of Brian Ray/hawkeyesports.com
Iowa baseball coach Rick Heller says Hawkeye ace Tyler Peyton may not take the mound this weekend when they open Big Ten play at home against Maryland.
The senior from Grimes has been bothered by a sore arm and has been limited to 19 innings so far this season with an earned run average of 6.16 and an 0-3 record.
“I think it has affected him both at the plate and on the mound and he has missed a start”, said Heller. “Some young guys have to step up and we have struggled out of the bullpen as of late and we thought that was going to be a strength. We need to get that cleaned up.”
Peyton was 7-4 a year ago and led the Hawkeyes with 95 innings of work and an ERA of 3.03. Heller says if healthy he will make the start in Saturday’s game. Sophomore C.J. Eldred will start Friday afternoon’s series opener and senior Calvin Mathews is scheduled to start Sunday’s finale.
Iowa enters the league race with a record of 7-11 and Heller is looking for more offensive punch. The Hawkeyes have been limited to three runs or fewer in nine games and lost all of them.
“For the most part it has been playing just well enough to lose”, said Heller. “The defense has been outstanding and we have some guys who are really playing well but unfortunately we have not been able to get the big hit or make the big pitch against the better teams.”
After making it to the NCAA Super Regional in each of the last two years Maryland enters Big Ten play with a record of 10-10.