Big Ten greatness relies on trip to Michigan; a four-game series

It's not common for entire seasons to revolve around only the third series on the conference schedule. But IU's campaign for Big Ten greatness relies on a successful trip to East Lansing this weekend.\n"If we can take three out of four games, it would do wonders for our team, our program and our kids," Coach Bob Morgan said. "It's easier said than done, and it will be a tough challenge for us. We're looking forward to going on the road and seeing where we stand."\nThe four-game series is pivotal for both IU and Michigan State. IU is tied with Ohio State for first in the conference, and Michigan State is sitting in fifth.\nBoth teams are off to good starts. The Hoosiers head into the weekend with a 24-6 record, while the Spartans are 20-6. The teams are tied for the ninth-fewest number of losses in the nation.\n"This is huge," sophomore Mark Calkins said. "It's our first road series, and we need to win the series. The bottom line is that we need to win three of the four games."\nNot only will this four-game set be a challenge for the Hoosiers, but it is their first Big Ten series away from the friendly confines of Sembower Field. They also must figure a way to silence the Spartans' prolific bats.\nSo far this season, the Hoosiers have entered each game as the offensive powerhouse, but the Spartans can match up equally as well at the plate. \nIU and Michigan State hold the top two spots in the conference in almost every offensive category, so whoever wins the series could be the team that makes the fewest mistakes.\n"It's always pretty hard to play on the road in the Big Ten because the fans are usually pretty tough on you," junior Vasili Spanos said. "We just need to pitch and play defense well because the games we pitch and play defense well, we always win. Our offense can hang with anyone."\nFans may even witness a great showdown between arguably the two best power hitters in the Big Ten. Michigan State's senior Chris McCuiston leads the Big Ten with 12 home runs, and Spanos follows with 11 homers.\nNo matter the outcome, fans will enjoy four exciting games.\n"We're going to play a very talented Michigan State team," Morgan said. "This is the best team they've had in a very long time. They're very big and physical, and they have a lot of power hitters. Hopefully our pitchers are up to the challenge"