IU traveling to Michigan for series

The IU baseball team will return to action this weekend as they head to Ann Arbor, Mich., to take on the University of Michigan. The four-game series will begin at 5:35 p.m. Friday at Michigan's Fisher Stadium.\nFriday's game will be followed by a doubleheader Saturday before wrapping up with the series finale Sunday.\nThe Hoosiers (25-23, Big Ten 8-16) are coming off a successful series last weekend against the Michigan State Spartans when IU won three of the four games. \nThe star of last weekend's series was senior right fielder Joe Kemp. Kemp went 9-15 against MSU over the weekend, giving him a .600 batting average for the series. His two home runs, 11 RBI, nine runs, two triples and two doubles gave him an astounding 1.400 slugging percentage for the series. Kemp's weekend didn't go unnoticed as he was awarded co-Big Ten Player of the Week honors. \nThe Hoosiers hope to keep their bats hot heading into this weekend's games. IU scored 15 runs against the Spartans Saturday and closed the series out with an 11-run performance. \nThis series will mark the team's final away series of Big Ten play. Conference play wraps up at home May 22 against in-state rival \nPurdue.\nThe weekend's series against the Wolverines (30-14, Big Ten 10-11) will mark the first time the two teams have met this season. Michigan finds itself in the middle of the Big Ten standings, currently in sixth place. The series will be important for both teams as they battle for the sixth and final spot in the Big Ten Tournament. IU currently resides in last place in the conference and needs to move up in the standing to have a shot at qualifying for the tournament. \nRuns shouldn't be at a premium this weekend as the series features the Big Ten's top two hitting teams. The Hoosiers' consistency at the plate has given them the top batting average in the conference with a .325 mark through last weekend's games. Michigan is not far behind with a .322 average.\nThe Hoosiers will look for revenge against the Wolverines after losing three of the four games that the two teams played last season.