THE MONDAY HIVE: Schulte Gets Back To His Roots, On And Off The Field

By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

A day after going 0-for-5 in a 5-4 loss at Normal, Burlington Bees shortstop Kooper Schulte was mowing the grass behind the Community Field outfield fence.

A few hours later, after going through his normal pre-game routine, Schulte was in uniform and back at his usual position.

It’s been a summer of long days for Schulte, who along with being one of the top hitters in the Prospect League is working as an intern with the Bees, getting a full view of baseball from the playing side and the business side.

“Some days are harder than others, like when I work here in the morning and then have to play a game that night,” said Schulte, who will be a senior on Iowa’s baseball team this fall. “But honestly, it’s better for me to get up in the morning and get going than it would be for me to sleep in and be lazy.”

It hasn’t affected his play. Schulte, who opened the season getting five hits and hitting for the cycle in the 12-5 win over Quincy on May 27, is seventh in the league in hitting at .345. He has four home runs and 20 runs batted in and is tied for fifth in the league with 11 doubles, one of the reasons why he was selected to the league’s All-Star Game.

“I’m really happy,” said Schulte, who hit .268 with the Hawkeyes this season, going 0-for-12 in his final seven games. “Coming here from Iowa, I thought I needed a new start. I’m just doing things a little bit different this summer, and it’s worked out for me. Hopefully I just keep going the rest of the summer.”

It is Schulte’s second season with the Bees — he hit .373 in 2023 before a hand injury ended his season — but he’s learning about the other side of the game through the internship is doing for Iowa, where he is majoring in sport and recreation management.

“Mainly I work with the grounds crew,” Schulte said. “I get here around 10 a.m., work on the field, mow the field, work on the base paths, set up for (batting practice), all the fun stuff.

“I’ve learned quite a bit, actually. Like different ways to take care of the field. (Assistant general manager/director of stadium operations) Blaise (Rosson) has been teaching me a lot — when I ask questions, he always has answers to it. I’ve been working a little bit with operations too, like social media stuff, restocking the concession stands, and stuff like that.”

“Every single day, he’s here in the morning doing his internship stuff, and then he’s going in the (batting) cages to get in work, then he goes and gets lunch and comes back and does more work,” Bees manager Owen Oreskovich said. “He’s one of the hardest workers — he might be the hardest worker I’ve ever been around or coached. And he’s a phenomenal player as well.”

If anything, Schulte said, the summer has helped him get back to being the player he knows he can be.

“It’s just been better mentally, more than anything,” said Schulte, who is living at home in nearby New London. “I’m playing with some guys I’ve played with in the past, whether it’s been with the Bees or at Southeastern (Community College). Maybe just being back at home was important, but it’s also been more about being competitive and getting back to who I am. I needed to get back to my roots, know what makes me good and keep doing that.”

**Bees manager Owen Oreskovich (left) congratulates Kooper Schulte after his triple in the season opener against Quincy. (Steve Cirinna/Burlington Bees)**

Schulte said his first year with the Hawkeyes taught him a lot.

“That first year, I learned the competition at the Division I level is pretty good,” he said. “I learned that I’ve got to stay on me, not listen to the outside noise or anything like that. Know what works for me, and stick to it. Trust the process.”

Schulte also has been working with his father, Justin, who is Southeastern’s head baseball coach.

“His dad raised him right,” Oreskovich said. “His dad is an incredible coach, and did an incredible job with him.”

Oreskovich said Schulte is one of the leaders in the clubhouse.

“He always speaks up, he’s always giving the pre-game speech,” he said. “He gets on guys when he has to, and he leads by example as well.”

“It’s something I wanted to do,” Schulte said. “I’m going to be a senior next season. So it’s my goal to be one of the leaders.

“I just want to be the person that I am this summer, taking it into fall (with the Hawkeyes) and then into the spring. Be competitive, be the guy that pushes my teammate, things like that.”

Top photo: Burlington Bees shortstop Kooper Schulte is batting .345 this season while also working for the team as a summer intern. (Steve Cirinna/Burlington Bees)

BEES 16, THRILLBILLIES 6: Another 10-Run Rule Night

By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

Fans aren’t getting nine innings of baseball at Community Field these days.

Not that Burlington Bees manager Owen Oreskovich is complaining.

The 16-6 win over the Thrillville Thrillbillies in Wednesday’s Prospect League game was the third consecutive home win for the Bees that was decided by the league’s 10-run rule.

“I’m OK with that,” Oreskovich said, smiling.

This game ended after 6 ½ innings. Last Friday’s 27-17 win over Quincy was done in eight innings, as was the 15-4 win over Springfield the next night.

It’s not that the fans aren’t getting value for their tickets, considering the run production in all three games. The Bees had 15 hits in this game, with six players getting two or more hits.

The hits are coming from up and down the lineup. Marcus Beatty, hitting second, was 4 for 5 with three runs batted in. Caleb Seibers, hitting sixth, hit two home runs. Kila Teixeira, hitting seventh, went 3 for 3 and drove in two runs.

“I hope it stays like that,” Oreskovich said. “It’s very important — if we need somebody to bunt anywhere in the lineup, we can get one down and then we’ve got guys to drive the run in. It’s huge, the lineup we have right now, and hopefully we keep doing what we’re doing.”

“Just a lot of us have the mindset of putting the ball in play, making something happen, moving guys around,” said Teixeira, who is hitting .333 this season. “I hit for the situation. Whatever happens, happens after that.”

Teixiera is on a seven-game hitting streak, hitting .414 in this current stretch. Teixiera, who is from Hawaii Pacific, didn’t see any game action in the college season, but has filled in different roles for the Bees this summer.

“Coming out here to play, I’ve had fun,” Teixiera said. “I didn’t play this season, but I’ve come here wanting to show what I can do. I’ve got nothing to lose, so I just leave it all out there.”

“He puts together great at-bats, and he’s good with two strikes, too,” Oreskovich said. “It’s awesome to see.”

***Bees catcher Lincoln Cardwell makes a catch on a foul ball. (Steve Cirinna/Burlington Bees)***

The Bees (26-21 overall, 14-7 second half) took a 3-1 lead in the third inning on back-to-back home runs by Corey Boyette and Seibers and a run-scoring single from Lincoln Cardwell.

The Thrillbillies tied the game in the top of the fourth inning, then the Bees broke the game open with seven runs in the bottom of the inning. They added six runs in the sixth, then held on to the 10-run rule in the seventh despite Thrillville getting three runs and having runners in scoring position with two outs.

Five Bees were hit by pitches, bringing their league-leading total to 100.

Michael Schaul (2-0) was the winning pitcher. Ty Anderson (0-1) took the loss.

Box score

Photo: Bees left fielder Marcus Beatty makes a leaping catch in Wednesday’s 16-6 win over the Thrillville Thrillbillies. (Steve Cirinna/Burlington Bees)

Bees’ Schulte Adds Another League Honor

By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

Another big week at the plate has landed another honor for Burlington Bees shortstop Kooper Schulte.

Schulte was named the Prospect League’s hitter of the week for the second time this season on Tuesday after a week in which he posted a 1.854 OPS.

Schulte hit .600 for the week of July 15-21, with 12 hits, 12 runs, three doubles, two home runs and eight runs batted in.

Schulte, who plays at Iowa, is sixth in the league in hitting at .347. He is second in the league with 19 extra-base hits and is tied for second in hits with 51 and RBIs with 40.

Illinois Valley’s Caleb Okada was named the pitcher of the week, going 1-0 while striking out 12 in seven innings.

Photo: Burlington Bees shortstop Kooper Schulte watches one of his four home runs this season. (Steve Cirinna/Burlington Bees)

Bees Send 5 To Prospect League All-Star Game

By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

Five Burlington Bees players have been selected to play in next week’s Prospect League All-Star Game.

Catcher Mason Schwalbach, infielders Kooper Schulte and Caleb Seibers, and pitchers Braeden Sunken and Kaelen Clarkson were selected to the Western Conference team for the July 8 game in Springfield, Ill.

Schulte, a shortstop who plays for Iowa, is batting .325 with two home runs and 22 runs batted in. He leads the team with four triples and is tied for the team lead with six doubles. He has a .944 OPS.

Schwalbach, who plays at Southern Illinois, is batting .383 and has driven in 15 runs in 17 games.

**Caleb Seibers celebrates a single. Seibers is one of five Burlington Bees selected to play in the Prospect League All-Star Game. (Steve Cirinna/Burlington Bees)**

Seibers, a sophomore third baseman from Olney Central College, is batting .293. He is second on the Bees with four home runs.

Sunken, from Maryville University, is 2-1 with a 3.11 earned run average. He has a team-high five saves in 11 appearances, with 14 strikeouts in 14 1/3 innings.

Clarkson, from SUNY-Plattsburgh, has made four starts for the Bees. He is 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA, allowing 13 hits in 15 innings. He has walked three while striking out 12.

Schulte will also participate in the Home Run Derby on July 7, competing against Caleb Clealand (Alton River Dragons), Baden Hackworth (O’Fallon Hoots). Wally Diaz (REX Baseball), Brady Lester (Champion City Kings), Hunter Snow (Lafayette Aviators), Louie Barletti (Springfield Lucky Horseshoes) and Cole Nathan (Dubois County Bombers).

It is the first All-Star Game for the Prospect League since 2019. The Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp coaching staff, led by manager John Jakiemiec, will coach the West. The REX Baseball coaching staff, led by Manager Tony Rosselli, will coach the East.

Top photo: Shortstop Kooper Schulte is one of five Burlington Bees named to the Western Conference team for next Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Springfield, Ill. (Steve Cirinna/Burlington Bees)

BEES 14, CORNBELTERS 10: The Perfect Formula To Start The Second Half

By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

The answer to five was six.

The answer to five was one over the next four.

It sounds like a couple of crazy math equations, but it was how the Burlington Bees defeated the Normal CornBelters 14-10 in Saturday’s Prospect League second-half opener at Community Field.

The Bees fell behind 5-0 after the top of the first inning, then came back with six runs of their own in the bottom of the inning, starting a night of scoreboard action that ended when reliever Zach Leuschen got Jackson Smith to ground out to end the game with runners on second and third.

“Going down five, before you even hit, it was kind of tough,” Bees manager Owen Oreskovich said. “But you know what? You could see it didn’t bother our guys. They’re going to go up there, take their (at-bats), and piece something together.”

“First inning, out on the field, the energy wasn’t there,” said shortstop Kooper Schulte, who had four hits and drove in three runs. “Once we got the six runs, we had great energy. We knew we could pull this thing out.”

Bees starting pitcher Danny Harris gave up four hits in that first inning, including a three-run home run to Jack Novak.

But Burlington bounced back right away, starting with Cole Yearsley’s single to lead off the inning.

“Cole got us going,” Schulte said. “And the whole lineup kept it going.”

Yearsley scored on Miles Risley’s single, then Mason Schwalbach drove home two runs with a single. Schulte followed with a home run to left-center field, and Caleb Seibers followed with the first of his two home runs, and suddenly the Bees had a 6-5 lead.

Normal tied the game in the top of the second inning on an unearned run, then Harris (2-2) held them scoreless over the next three innings.

“I was hoping after that first inning (Harris) would go out there and throw up zeros, and he pretty much did that, with one run over the next four innings,” Oreskovich said. “He showed he still had it, and I wanted to see that out of him.”

The Bees took the lead with a three-run third inning. Schwalbach’s double drove in Jace Figuereo. Seibers hit a two-run home run two batters later.

Burlington finished the game with 17 hits.

Openers seem to agree with Schulte — he hit for the cycle on Opening Day, going 5-for-5 in the 12-5 win over Quincy.

“It’s been a while since the other opening night,” Schulte said.

Schulte, who hit .268 at Iowa this season, had a 4-for-23 stretch at the plate for the Bees midway through June, but he’s batting .444 since then. He’s batting .337 overall and is currently on a five-game hitting streak.

“He was seeing the ball well tonight,” Oreskovich said. “He got a couple of infield singles on good hard-90s. He plays the game right, he plays the game hard. And that’s always good to see.”

Schwalbach, Schulte and Seibers, the 5-6-7 hitters in the Bees’ lineup, combined to go 9-for-15 with nine runs batted in.

“When you can have that kind of production from that part of the order, you’re going to have a good night,” Oreskovich said.

The Bees finished the first half in second place in the Northwest Division. The message for the second half, Schulte said, was easy.

“We just want to keep going,” he said. “Playoffs, playoffs, playoffs.”

Box score

Photo: Bees shortstop Kooper Schulte (9) is greeted at home plate by Mason Schwalbach (23) and Caleb Seibers after his two-run home run in the first inning. (Steve Cirinna/Burlington Bees)

BEES 10, DOGGY PADDLERS 5: Setting Up The Weekend

By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

The Burlington Bees’ first-half division title hopes rest on the next two games.

The Bees play at Clinton Friday and Saturday as the first half of the Prospect League season heads into final few games.

Burlington’s 10-5 win over the Quincy Doggy Paddlers on Thursday night at Community Field put the Bees into a better spot.

Burlington (10-10) is in second place, 3 1/2 games behind Clinton in the Northwest Division heading into the final two matchups against the LumberKings in the first half.

“We’ve got to win these two games against Clinton,” Bees manager Owen Oreskovich said. “Those are two giant games for us. And you know, Clinton’s been kind of rolling lately, so it would be good to go in there and shut them down two days in a row.”

The Bees had 18 hits against the Doggy Paddlers, taking control of the game with a three-run fourth inning and a three-run sixth.

“And we could have had a few more runs,” said Oreskovich, pointing out the 11 men left on base. “A couple of teams I’ve been around, when they start hitting like that everybody gets going. I think that’s the way it is with this team.”

The Bees rank second in the league with 180 hits, and are fifth with a .269 team batting average.

The middle of their lineup did the most damage in this game. No. 2 hitter Miles Risley was 4 for 5 and scored twice. Corey Boyette, the No. 3 hitter, was 3 of 4 and hit a three-run home run in the fourth inning that put the Bees in front to stay. Mason Schwalbach, hitting fourth, was 2 for 5 and drove in two runs. No. 5 hitter Kooper Schulte was also 2 for 5 and drove in a run.

“Those guys are coming together,” Oreskovich said. “They’re becoming really close, giving their little secrets away to each other during the game, things they see. Those are some good hitters in that lineup. So being able to learn from each other and then take that into your at bats and get good pitches and execute is the goal.”

Bees starting pitcher Jackson Rodgers (2-1) scattered five hits over five innings, striking out four.

“He gave up a couple of solo home runs, but that’s going to happen,” Oreskovich said. “I thought he pitched pretty well.”

The Bees got 11 hits in five innings off Quincy starter Hayden Steelman (1-2).

Photo: Burlington’s Corey Boyette watches his three-run home run in the fourth inning of Thursday’s game. (Steve Cirinna/Burlington Bees)

Prospect League Honors Bees’ Schulte

By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

Kooper Schulte opened the Prospect League season by hitting for the cycle.

That started a seven-game run for the Burlington Bees’ shortstop that earned him the Prospect League’s hitter of the week award on Tuesday.

Schulte, who opened the season with a 5 for 5 game against the Quincy Doggy Paddlers last Tuesday, hit .387 with a league-leading 12 hits in 31 at bats. He scored nine runs and drove in 12, hitting four doubles a triple, and two home runs. He finished the week with a 1.191 OPS.

It is the second Prospect League season for Schulte, who grew up in nearby New London, Iowa. Schulte, who played at the University of Iowa this season, hit .373 for the Bees in 2023.

Jackson’s Cooper Casteel was named the league’s pitcher of the week.

Photo: Burlington Bees shortstop Kooper Schulte watches his home run in the season opener. (Steve Cirinna/Burlington Bees)

BEES 12, QUINCY 5: Schulte’s Cycle Leads Opening Rout

By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

Kooper Schulte’s first batting practice session with the Burlington Bees on Tuesday was, by his description, “pretty, pretty bad.”

His first game of the Prospect League season was a lot better.

Schulte hit for the cycle, going 5-for-5 with five runs batted in the Bees’ 12-5 win over the Quincy Doggy Paddlers in the season opener at Community Field.

“It was the first time I’d hit with a wood bat in almost a year,” Schulte said of his afternoon struggles.

Schulte opened the game with a first-inning triple. He hit a two-run home run to left field in the third inning, singled home a run in the fourth, drove in two more runs with a bloop single in the fifth, then opened the seventh inning with a double.

Schulte said he wasn’t sure about the significance of what had happened when he heard the cheers after the double into the right-center field gap that gave him the cycle.

“I asked O (Bees manager Owen Oreskovich) what was going on, and he said, ‘You just hit for the cycle,’” Schulte said, smiling.

“I knew what he needed to do, but I wasn’t going to bring it up,” Oreskovich said, laughing.

Oreskovich wasn’t sure early Monday if he was going to have Schulte for the opener. Schulte, who is from nearby New London, just finished the season with Iowa — the Hawkeyes lost to UCLA in Saturday’s Big Ten Tournament semifinals — but he sent Oreskovich a text message in the afternoon that he was going to be available.

“We had exit meetings with the coaches this morning, got back to New London by 11 o’clock this morning, and I was on my way here by noon,” Schulte said.

“I’m always glad to have that kid in the lineup,” Oreskovich said.

Schulte, who hit .268 for Iowa this season, played for the Bees in 2023, hitting .373 before a hand injury ended his season. So Oreskovich knows what he has in the shortstop.

“I think it’s the way he’s brought up, you know, especially with his father being who he is (Southeastern Community College coach Justin Schulte), one of the most winningest coaches out there right now,” Oreskovich said. “But I think it’s just the way he’s brought up with his work ethic — he’s one of the hardest workers ever. And, you know, he hates losing and he hates failing.”

***Burlington’s Keanu Spenser rounds the bases after his fourth-inning home run (Steve Cirinna/Burlington Bees)***

The Bees broke open a 3-3 game with a four-run fourth inning capped by Keanu Spenser’s home run to deep left field. They added two runs in the fifth, two in the sixth and one in the seventh.

Everyone in the Bees’ lineup reached base. Burlington had 14 hits.

“It was awesome to see that,” Oreskovich said. “And we’ve got some guys still to come in here who can do some damage.”

The Bees went 6-23 in the first half last season, and the talk in the clubhouse before the game was about starting strong.

“These guys want to win,” Oreskovich said.

“It feels good to start out 1-0,” Schulte said. “There’s a lot of energy in here, a lot of good vibes, with a win like this.”

Parker Lewin, the second of four Bees pitchers, got the win, pitching 2 ⅓ scoreless innings.

The Bees go on the road to end the week with four games — Wednesday and Thursday at Normal and Friday and Saturday at Clinton.

“We’ve got to stay locked in,” Oreskovich said. “Going on the road is kind of always tough, especially when you’re on the road for multiple days in a row. But this is a different group, so I think they’re up for the challenge, and I don’t think it’s going to matter to them too much.”

Top photo: Bees shortstop Kooper Schulte slides into third on his first-inning triple. (Steve Cirinna/Burlington Bees)

Schulte Brings Experience, Familiarity To Hawkeyes

By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

IOWA CITY — Kooper Schulte was described as “a true son of a coach” by his new college coach, and that is the perfect description.

Schulte will be the starting shortstop for Iowa when the Hawkeyes open the season with a three-game series at South Florida, starting Friday.

It is Schulte’s first season with the Hawkeyes after two seasons of junior-college baseball, and it’s a chance for him to play in the same program where his father, Justin, was a player before becoming one of the top junior-college coaches in the nation.

It is that bloodline that coach Rick Heller can see in Schulte.

“Really good baseball player, that’s the best way to sum it up,” Heller said at the Hawkeyes’ media day earlier this week. “He’s got a lot of intangibles to his game. Justin is a tough guy, he brings a lot of toughness to his teams, and Koop has that. He’s just a steady Eddie in how he goes about his business.”

The chance to play at Iowa was something Schulte couldn’t pass up.

“My dad played here, and obviously it’s a great program, so it’s pretty special for me to be a part of it,” Schulte said. “Coming from a coach like him, he asks a lot of questions about the program, what do we do and stuff. But at the end of the day, he just tells me to trust the coaches, do what they say, and just work hard.”

Schulte is coming off a season at Southeastern Community College, where he played for his father. He hit .317 with eight home runs and 45 runs batted in, becoming a first-team all-region selection while leading the Blackhawks to the NJCAA World Series.

Schulte, a graduate of New London (Iowa) High School, played at Central Arizona Community College in 2023. He played that summer for the Burlington Bees in the Prospect League, hitting .373 in 19 games before suffering a season-ending hand injury.

He played last summer for the Waterloo Bucks in the Northwoods League. He hit just .170, but appreciated what he gained from a higher competition level of summer baseball.

“I didn’t play the best baseball, but it was a good experience playing with a lot of other guys from Division I schools,” Schulte said. “So I got that little experience before coming here.”

Schulte spent Iowa’s fall workouts on different parts of his game.

“I worked a lot on my hitting, really honed in on my mechanics, really tried to feel myself create more power, use my strength more in my swing,” Schulte said.

“I think that there’s a chance that he may surprise some people and provide maybe a little more offense than advertised,” Heller said. “I think he’s done some stuff in his swing with Marty Sutherland, our hitting coach, and he’s strong right now. The ball’s jumping off his bat. And so we’re hoping we can get some offense out of Koop as well.”

Heller said Schulte has been impressive with his defense.

“Koop is maybe the perfect guy to come in after Michael Seegers,” Heller said. “Michael was down there a long time, and was a big-time defender for us. I think Koop can step in and do a really solid job defensively.”

“He’s always been a really good defender in my eyes, and just like his dad, he’s always been super competitive,” said Iowa teammate Caleb Wulf, who played with Schulte at SCC and with the Bees. “He always knows how to win and how to put himself in the best position to succeed or do the job we need him to do.”

Schulte will return to the Bees this summer, but before that he will get a chance in the starting lineup of a program that is all too familiar to him.

“Coach Heller really wants me to just be that defensive player that I know I can be,” Schulte said. “So I take pride in my defense, make all the plays and if I hit, that’s a plus. But I’m really glad I’m here and getting this opportunity.”

Photo: Kooper Schulte fields a ground ball for the Burlington Bees in the 2023 season. (Steve Cirinna/Burlington Bees)

THE MONDAY HIVE: Mathews Hopes To Take Momentum Back To Iowa

By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

Baseball has been a big part of Merrick Mathews’ life.

His grandfather, Rick, played and coached at Indian Hills Community College, worked with the Colorado Rockies as the team’s bullpen coach and is now a scout for the team.

His father, Jonathan, had a similar path — played and coached at Indian Hills, and is now a roving hitting instructor for the San Diego Padres.

Merrick is on his own journey now. He played two seasons at Indian Hills before heading to Iowa, where he will be a senior this season.

He’s been one of the constants in the Burlington Bees’ lineup this summer in the Prospect League.

Mathews has played in 39 games this season, second-most on the team. He is batting .203 with two home runs, including a walk-off home run earlier this season, and 18 runs batted in.

“I don’t know what his numbers are, but I know he’s been a big part of the team,” Bees manager Owen Oreskovich said. “I think he’s been huge for us.”

Mathews, who hit .300 with just 10 at-bats for the Hawkeyes this spring, came to Burlington hoping for a chance to play.

“It’s gone good — I’ve really enjoyed it here,” he said. “I just wanted to come get some at-bats and have a good time, and fortunately I’ve been able to do both.”

Mathews, who has been in the lineup either as a first baseman or designated hitter, has impressed Oreskovich with his approach.

“He goes about everything like a professional,” Oreskovich said. “His eye in the (batter’s) box, he really works on that. And just the way he goes about his business — he’s a fun kid in the clubhouse, fun to be around. But when it matters, when it comes down to game time, he’s ready.”

Mathews’ approach has come from being around baseball all of his life.

“I’ve gained a lot of knowledge, learning about the game, the game within the game,” he said. “Just hearing from other hitters on the right approach at the plate, I’ve learned so much.”

Mathews played in 79 games in two seasons at Indian Hills — he hit .285 and drove in a team-high 39 runs in 2023 — but played in nine games with the Hawkeyes this season, with one start.

“I wasn’t too upset,” he said. “The biggest thing was I wanted to win baseball games, and whatever I could do to help the team I was going to do.”

Coming to Burlington was important, he said, to get as much game time as he could.

“I was seeing it pretty good this summer,” Mathews said. “I didn’t necessarily have a good season at the plate, but it was good to see pitches, just stay in a rhythm.”

The game time has also helped Mathews with his defense.

“I feel like I got a lot better at defense in the summer,” he said. “I thought I struggled a bit in the spring, but just getting all of the reps this summer really helped my game.”

Mathews’ family, including his father and grandfather, has been able to see him play this summer.

“My dad got to come to some Iowa games, and he’s been here,” Mathews said. “He doesn’t really tell me things to work on. He tells me to just keep doing what I’m doing, keep putting the work in, keep playing hard.”

The Bees’ season will end this week. Mathews said he plans on taking a week off before heading back to Iowa to prepare for the fall season.

“It’s helped a ton, being able to play at a place like this, and play with these dudes,” Mathews said. “It’s a great group of guys, a great coaching staff. It’s a lot of fun just being able to play every night with them. Hopefully I can take what I’ve learned and keep it rolling when I get back to Iowa.”

Photo: Bees first baseman Merrick Mathews has played in 39 games this season, second-most on the team. (Steve Cirinna/Burlington Bees)