Iowa baseball coach Rick Heller wants more innings and fewer pitches from his starting staff as the Hawkeyes get set to host Michigan in a three-game Big Ten series beginning Friday. In 21 combined starts, Brody Brecht, Marcus Morgan and Cade Obermueller (Oh-bir-myool-ir) are averaging just under four-and-two thirds’ innings of work.

Hawkeye starters have combined to strike out 130 batters but have walked or hit 110.

While the pitching has struggled the Hawkeyes are winning with offense. They are second in the Big Ten with a team batting average of .320 and lead the conference by averaging more than nine and-a-half runs per game. Iowa is 15-11 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten.

Heller says while they lack the power hitters they have had the past few years the Hawkeyes have five hitters with three home runs or more and eight have an on base percentage above .400.

The Hawkeyes will be without two of their top three hitters against the Wolverines. Left fielder Sam Peterson and first baseman Andy Nelson are both nursing injuries.

Like Iowa, Michigan struggled early against a challenging non-conference slate. The Wolverines are also 4-2 in the Big Ten after winning two of three against defending champion Maryland.