(Radio Iowa) — Rick Heller claimed his 200th victory as Iowa’s baseball coach with Wednesday night’s 8-7 victory over Western Illinois. In his sixth season as coach Heller has led the Hawkeyes to a pair of trips to the NCAA regionals and the Big Ten Tournament title in 2017. It was the Hawkeyes’ first championship since winning the Big Ten regular season crown back in 1990.

Iowa hosts UC-Irvine beginning Friday night (6:05-p.m.) in a three game series and Heller says even though it is a non conference series there is plenty on the line. The Anteaters are ranked 19th nationally and this is a chance for the Hawkeyes to boost their NCAA Tournament hopes.

Heller says this may be their final chance to play a rated opponent. He says aslo,  UC-Irvine has one of the top pitching staffs in the country.