Weekend series has Big Ten implications

The baseball team takes to the road again this weekend for a four-game series with Big Ten opponent Iowa.\nThe Hoosiers (16-6, 2-2) will visit Iowa City following a disappointing midweek loss at home to Indiana State. The Sycamores capitalized on three Hoosier errors and favorable winds, smacking five home runs in their 11-9 victory.\n"We didn't pitch well enough and we hurt ourselves defensively," coach Bob Morgan said. "Good ball clubs take advantage of that and that's why we lost."\nOne positive to pull from Wednesday's game was the recently unseen spark from the IU offense. After opening the season with a solid .281 batting average, the Hoosier bats fell suddenly silent last weekend against Illinois. IU batted a league-low .204 in Champaign, tabulating just 12 runs and 21 hits in four games.\nBut yesterday the Hoosiers were explosive at the plate.\n"We've struggled a little bit offensively early in the season and it was good to see we had 13 hits and nine runs," junior outfielder Ryan Donley said. "We were putting good moves on the ball all day."\nIt was Donley who brought the Hoosiers within striking distance on Wednesday with a monstrous three-run shot to center field. Senior Vasili Spanos also had a bang-up performance going 3-5 with a home run, two doubles, and five runs scored. \nBut as good as the offense was they still failed to seize run-scoring opportunities late in the game. IU loaded the bases in the fifth, producing only one run, and they put the lead-off hitter on in the ninth only to ground into a double play. \n"We squelched some opportunities late, and that's unfortunate," Morgan said. "We still need to get better in certain situations."\nThe consensus goal of the team for this weekend is to take three of four from the Hawkeyes.\n"Our overall goal is we need to at least take three out of four," junior pitcher Chris Behrens said. "That would be a real spirit booster for our team."\nBut if the Hoosiers are to achieve their goal, they will need more quality starts from their pitching staff, which has been roughed up as of late.\nAfter ending the non-conference season as the Big Ten leaders in team ERA, the Hoosiers faltered last weekend, posting a 5.88 ERA in the four game set with the Illini. \n"Last time out was kind of rough," said Behrens, who gave up five earned runs on five hits in two thirds of an inning against Illinois. "I just have to come out with a better attitude. I have to know that I can do it and that I have a good team behind me that can help me out whenever."\nIU will begin the series against Iowa tonight at 6 p.m. and is scheduled to play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 4 p.m. The series wraps up on Sunday at 1 p.m.\n"We need to go there and win three out of four. We split last weekend and I definitely think Iowa is a team we can take three of four from," Donley said. "Anytime you split or get wins on the road in the Big Ten it's huge. The goal is to win the series right now"