The Iowa baseball team continued its winning ways this past weekend, sweeping Ohio State to push their win streak to six games. The Hawkeyes outscored the Buckeyes 24-5 on Friday and Saturday’s contests before completing the series with an 18-2 demolition on Sunday.
This marks the third consecutive Big Ten series triumph for Iowa, who moves to 14-8 overall and 7-2 in Big Ten play – moving it into a first place tie with Oregon and UCLA.
Here are two takeaways from the sweep:
Cade Obermueller bounces back
The past couple of starts in conference play haven’t been kind to Iowa’s Friday ace. Tallying almost 11 innings of work against Rutgers and Michigan State, Obermueller recorded a 7.14 earned run average while allowing 15 hits and two home runs.
But Friday’s series opener against Ohio State was different. Obermueller reminded everyone why he was picked by Perfect Game as the Preseason Big Ten Pitcher of the Year.
He tied his longest outing of the season with six innings pitched, allowing zero runs, three hits, and fanning nine batters.
“Cade bounced back with a high-quality start today,” Iowa head coach Rick Heller told HawkeyeSports after the game. “He had good command with all his pitches and had electric stuff all day.”
The scariest part of this recent Iowa winning streak is the fact that the team’s best pitcher hasn’t been that sharp over the last month of the season.
To see Obermueller bounce back and find his command is not only a sight to see for Hawkeye pitching coach Sean Kenny, but a scare to the rest of the conference.
Reese Bueter continues to shine on Sundays
One of the biggest surprises of the 2025 season has been Reese Bueter coming into his own as the Sunday starter for the Iowa rotation.
Outside of a shaky start against Rutgers — 3.2 innings pitched with six earned runs – Bueter has allowed two runs or less in every start this season.
It was much of the same in Sunday’s series concluding contest – a gutsy pitching performance to give the Hawkeyes a chance to win.
Pitching five innings for the fourth time this season, a two-run home run was the only hit allowed on the afternoon. Beuter tallied seven strikeouts on 86 total pitches.
“Reece Bueter gave us a good start, on a tough day to pitch with the wind and the weather,” Heller told HawkeySports. “He had trouble early, but he fought through it and showed some toughness.”
Beuter’s 3.51 ERA this season ranks 14th in the Big Ten.
Up Next
Iowa looks to continue its winning ways in its first road midweek game of the season. The Hawkeyes will travel to Normal, Illinois on Tuesday, March 25, to face the Illinois State Redbirds.
First pitch is slated for 5:00 p.m. local time. Radio coverage can be found on the Hawkeye Radio Network.