The Iowa baseball team needs a strong weekend to claim a spot in the Big Ten post-season tournament as they open a four-game series at home tonight against Illinois. The Hawkeyes are 12-15 in conference play and most likely need to win three of four games to make the six-team tournament field. Tonight’s opener will set the tone and Iowa coach Scott Broghamer says his Hawks will face one of the league’s top pitchers in Andy Dickinson. He says Dickinson has been their started for the past three years. Broghamer says the Hawks will need a good outing from starting pitcher Reed Pawelk to stay in the game. He says they also need defense to back Pawelk up, and then some good offense.