The Iowa Hawkeye baseball team gets an early start of the 2018 season as the Hawkeyes will represent the United States in the World University Games in Taiwan next month. Iowa coach Rick Heller says several of the players are still taking part in summer league baseball.

The Hawkeyes will host three exhibition games, the first is Tuesday, and take part in the National Baseball Congress World Series in Wichita, Kansas, to prepare for the trip.

The Hawkeyes won the Big Ten Tournament title last season and Heller says the early start will be a benefit for next season.

Heller says most International competition these days involves professional players.

(Learfield Sports)