The Iowa baseball team will square off against Blackhawk Community College at Banks Field today. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m., and admission to the game is free.

Blackhawk, located in Moline, Ill., belongs to the National Junior College Athletics Association and competes in the Arrowhead Conference.

Tonight’s matchup is the Hawkeyes’ fourth exhibition game of the fall. Iowa tied Nebraska-Omaha last month and went 0-1-1 against Missouri on Oct. 8-9.

The games against the Tigers last weekend raised money for the Joplin, Mo., Little League program, which is looking to rebuild after a tornado struck the area last May.

Iowa returns its top three starters on the mound this spring in Jarred Hippen, Nick Brown, and Matt Dermody. Leading hitter Mike McQuillan will also be back in the Black and Gold.

Iowa will open its regular season against Pittsburgh in the Big Ten/Big East Challenge on Feb. 17, 2012.

— by Matt Cozzi