Team looks to buck losing streak

The IU baseball team had a four-game series last weekend at Michigan State, and will have another four-game series at home this weekend against Michigan. This upcoming series and the final four-game series against Purdue will determine if the Hoosiers will make the Big Ten tournament. \nIU lost the first two games to Michigan State in two shootouts, 15-13 and 15-9. The third game of the series -- and second game of Sunday's doubleheader -- was delayed after the sixth inning with IU leading a much tamer score of 2-1. The seventh inning was played at 1 p.m., Monday, immediately before the final game of the series. IU lost Game 3, 4-3, and Game 4, 6-5, both in seventh-inning Spartan comebacks. The series sweep at Michigan State follows a sweep at the hands of Ohio State a week earlier. The Hoosiers current eight-game losing streak has dropped IU's record to 23-25 overall and 7-17 in the Big Ten.\nCurrently the Hoosiers sit in last place in the conference. Making the six-team conference tournament will be a tall order as the Hoosiers need to make up a six-game deficit of sixth-place Purdue. However, the schedule is in IU's favor as the team needs to make up only two of the next four games after which the Hoosiers will have their destinies in their own hands as IU and Purdue meet during the final weekend of the season in West Lafayette.\nThe four-game set against the Wolverines (25-11, 13-11) begins 3 p.m. Friday, followed by a doubleheader Saturday and the series finale at 1 p.m. Sunday.