THIS WEEK

The University of Iowa softball team heads to Columbus, Ohio, for a three-game series at Ohio State. Saturday's doubleheader will begin at 5 p.m. at Buckeye Field and Sunday's finale is slated to start at 1 p.m. Saturday's games will be televised live on the BTN, while Sunday's finale will be streamed on BTN.com.

BIG TEN RACE HEATS UP

Two weekends remain in the Big Ten softball season and four conference teams are within one game of first-place Michigan. The Wolverines hold a 13-5 mark, but are just one-half game ahead of second-place Nebraska and Purdue, which hold matching 12-5 conference records. Iowa and Wisconsin are tied for fourth place in the standings at 12-6 in the Big Ten, just one game back of Michigan.

Here are the remaining conference schedules for the top-five teams in the standings:

Michigan - at Wisconsin (5/5-6), Purdue (5/11-13)

Purdue - at Minnesota (5/5-6), at Michigan (5/11-13)

Nebraska - at Indiana (5/5-6), Wisconsin (5/11-12)

Wisconsin - at Michigan (5/5-6), at Nebraska (5/11-12)

Iowa - at Ohio State (5/5-6), at Minnesota (5/11-12)