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139 T he University of Iowa baseball team is com- ing off one of its best games of the season against a Big Ten opponent and hopes to use that energy to propel through the season's home stretch. e Hawkeyes downed nationally ranked Michi- gan in the final game of a three-game series April 24 for its first victory over a ranked opponent this season. Iowa used 16 hits — a season-high against a Big Ten foe — to post an 8-3 victory over the Wolverines and prove it can compete with the league's best. "e big story for me was how we came out with positive energy and didn't let the last two games get us down," UI head coach Rick Heller said. "We got back to playing Hawkeye baseball. We took advantage of their free bases and swung the bat up and down the lineup." Iowa is 7-8 in Big Ten play, sitting ninth in the Big Ten standings with nine games remaining in the regular season. With the top eight teams qualifying for the Big Ten Tournament in Omaha, Nebraska, Iowa needs to bring focus in its three league series' against Ohio State, Michigan State, and Penn State. One of the biggest changes in the lineup moving forward will be senior Tyler Peyton taking over the leadoff spot in the batting order with senior Joel Booker sliding to No. 3. Peyton went 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored in the series finale against Michigan, while Booker continued his hot play, going 4-for-5 with two RBIs. "I like the leadoff spot," Peyton said. "My best stats have come from leading off an inning. I might not look like an ideal leadoff guy, but I feel comfort- able in the spot." With Peyton's batting average significantly higher without runners on base and Booker leading the team in batting average, hits, and RBIs, the offense could find itself in position to score more runs and it showed against Michigan. e Hawkeyes have a final tune- up weekend before their confer- ence stretch run. Iowa has six games against nonconference op- ponents, including a three-game series against Kansas State from April 29-May 1 before traveling to Columbus, Ohio, for a three-game series against the Buckeyes. "We have a week where we can heal a little bit with Kansas State coming in," Heller said. "It's not league play, so if we need to experiment with any- thing or do anything different, this will be our last chance to do that before we hit the stretch run and keep fighting to make the Big Ten Tournament." "We need to keep grinding and finding ways to win," Peyton said. "We hit the road for a couple more series' against Penn State and Ohio State. It's not going to be easy, but we need to take it game- by- game, play our best, come out with wins, and find a way to get to the postseason." MAY SCHEDULE May 3 Western Illinois May 6-8 at Ohio State May 13-15 Michigan State May 17 at Western Illinois May 19-21 at Penn State May 25-29 at Big Ten Tournament