Here's everything you missed on the diamond after watching Iowa's remarkable basketball season.
Basketball season is over, which means its time to exchange the orange, polyester-covered balls for white, nine-inch cork ball.
That's right. While you were all on the edge of your seats watching Iowa men's basketball's remarkable run to the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament, Rick Heller and Iowa baseball were in the midst of their third Big Ten series of the season.
Some say college baseball's first pitch is too soon, but what about college softball? The Hawkeyes have been playing games since Feb. 6 - which includes 12 conference games. That's a lot of ball you've probably missed, so HawkeyeRoundtable has you covered. Here's a mini season recap of Iowa baseball and softball's seasons as the calendar flips to April:
Baseball
Heller's club didn't have major expectations in 2026, and Iowa has played to that level so far. The Hawkeyes currently sit at 15-11 overall and 3-6 in league play after suffering a sweep at the hands of No. 1 UCLA and likely top MLB Draft selection Roch Cholowsky. A lot of teams will get swept by the Bruins this year, but Iowa was out-scored 38-6 on its home diamond, something Heller and Co. won't accept.
The Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten with a .319 team batting average, but as has been the case in previous seasons, inconsistency on the mound has doomed Iowa so far. The Hawkeyes boast the fifth-worst ERA in the conference (6.25). The pitching struggles have overshadowed an incredible campaign from senior Gable Mitchell. The Iowa City native leads Iowa with a .406 batting average (the only Hawkeye to hit over .400), and is tied in total hits (41) and RBIs (22).
UP NEXT: at Bradley on March 31, vs. Minnesota from April 3-5
Softball
Since longtime head coach Gayle Blevins retired in 2010, Iowa softball has been mired in mediocrity. Marla Looper and Renee Luers-Gillispie couldn't revive the program, so athletic director Beth Goetz turned to former Hawkeye standout Stacy May-Johnson to rebuild the program.
The Hawkeyes have struggled in conference play (5-7), but May-Johnson has done a good job with this team in year one. Iowa is 21-13 overall and just came off consecutive extra inning losses to No. 16 Washington at Pearl Field.
Not surprisingly, the Hawkeyes rank in the middle of the pack in most of the Big Ten statistical categories. Iowa is 10th in ERA (4.44), 11th in batting average (.296), and eighth in home runs (39).
UP NEXT: at Oregon from April 3-5
Caitlin Clark jersey winner will be announced on Wednesday!
Thank you to everyone who entered the Caitlin Clark jersey contest this month! We received 21 entries, which is a really strong number. HawkeyeRoundtable will reveal the winner on Wednesday, April 1, so be sure to stay tuned to the site to see if your name gets called.
Missed the giveaway? No problem! Become a FREE HawkeyeRoundtable community member today to have a chance to win future Hawkeye prizes! We'll continue the giveaways throughout the year.
Looking for a FREE Hawkeyes community?
Don't miss out on our Roundtable community and the latest news! It's completely FREE to join.
Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members. Download the FREE Roundtable APP and stay even more connected!