After a 2-5 spring-break trip, the Iowa baseball team (6-11) will be back at home today looking for some home cooking against a Bradley team (9-6) that is in the midst of a five-game winning streak.

Iowa will try to end a three-game losing streak after being swept by Missouri State last weekend in Springfield.

The Hawkeyes will run out freshman Cole McDonald to the mound, who is 2-1 on the season with a 1.80 ERA. The freshman has been a bright spot on the pitching staff for the Hawkeyes, who have given up 76 runs in 17 games.

McDonald will try to work around a Bradley lineup that is hitting .277 as a team, with three players hitting at a .300 clip. Junior Evan Gruener is hitting .310 with 12 RBIs and a team-leading 3 home runs.

RELATED: Turning point for baseball

The Braves will use today as a staff day, but will start lefty Ben Olson, who is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA. Olson has allowed 10 runs and 18 hits in 15 innings.

Seniors Nick Roscetti and Joel Booker have led the Hawkeyes at the plate this season, hitting .386 and .366, respectively. Roscetti will bring a 14-game hitting streak into today’s contest, and a five-game multi-hit streak. Booker has a 12-game hitting streak.

This will be the 84th meeting between the Hawkeyes and Braves, with the Braves taking three of the last four, including both meetings last year in Peoria.

The game will be Iowa’s last nonconference game before the Big Ten season starts, when Maryland comes calling.

— by Blake Dowson