Indiana baseball will open a three-game Big Ten series against Northwestern this weekend, beginning with a neutral-site matchup at Wrigley Field before shifting to Evanston, Illinois,\u00a0for the final two\u00a0games.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wrigley Field, home of\u00a0Major League Baseball\u2019s\u00a0Chicago Cubs since 1916, will host Indiana for the first time in a regular-season game since the program\u2019s last MLB\u00a0appearance in 2019. Northwestern, meanwhile, has more recent experience at the ballpark, making\u00a0four\u00a0appearances\u00a0there over the past\u00a0decade.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Beyond the setting, both teams enter the weekend looking to improve their position in the Big Ten\u00a0standings.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Indiana (20-25) sits 14th in the conference, while Northwestern (17-24-1) ranks 16th out of 17 teams. With three conference series\u00a0remaining, each game carries added importance as teams look to climb the standings.\u00a0Indiana holds a 39-20 advantage in the all-time series between the\u00a0programs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Indiana enters the weekend following a mixed\u00a0stretch.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Hoosiers showed offensive consistency throughout April but were swept in their most recent Big Ten\u00a0series<\/a>\u00a0against Iowa. They responded in their midweek matchup against\u00a0the\u00a0University of\u00a0Louisville<\/a>, scoring 10 runs in a win that\u00a0marked\u00a0a return to their earlier offensive\u00a0form.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n That\u00a0production will be\u00a0tested\u00a0Friday\u00a0night.\u00a0<\/p>\n The conditions at Wrigley Field are expected to play a factor. Temperatures are projected to be around\u00a042\u00a0degrees at first pitch and drop into the\u00a0high\u00a030s as the game progresses, creating an environment that could limit\u00a0offense.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n