The Hoosiers (22-15, 5-8) host Michigan State (23-16, 7-5) at Bart Kaufman Field for a three-game series.
At this point in the season, IU is currently in ninth place in the Big Ten, one spot out of the Big Ten Tournament field. Michigan State currently sits in sixth place in the conference.
If IU can sweep the Spartans, it will move ahead of them in the standings.
IU can also use this weekend to improve its national standing. After starting the week at No. 77 in the RPI, IU has moved up to No. 62 after its 6-5 win against ?Notre Dame on Tuesday.
IU might be aided by the return of junior shortstop Nick Ramos against the Spartans this weekend. Against Notre Dame, Ramos came in as a defensive replacement in the ninth ?inning at shortstop.
It was the first time ?Ramos had played since IU’s 9-1 win against Eastern Michigan on March 11 after injuring his left hand ?in practice.
“He told me afterwards, ‘Coach, when I play we usually win,’” IU Coach ?Chris Lemonis said. “He didn’t pick up a ball or anything, but he played, so he’s really close, which is huge for us.”
Ramos is ready to play in the field, Lemonis said. But Lemonis said he’s not sure how ready Ramos is to face live pitching in a game environment for the first time in more than a month.
“We’ve got to get him some at-bats, which is going to be the hardest part,” Lemonis said. “Defensively he’s 100 percent. It’s just trying to get a hitter’s eye, and you don’t want to put him out there too early and put him in a slump.”
Michael Hughes
