MACOMB, Ill. - Fighting Leatherneck softball travels to Iowa City on Thursday (April 2) to take on Big Ten foe, Iowa. First pitch for the midweek game is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Western Illinois will look to rebound after a tough loss to Bradley on Tuesday (March 31), as Western dropped a 10-8 decsion to the Braves.

Audio will be provided on GoLeathernecks.com, however BTN will offer a paid video stream.

SCOUTING THE HAWKEYES: Iowa has a midweek contest against Drake prior to Thursday's matchup... The Hawkeyes have two marquee wins in 2015... The first came on Feb. 27, when Iowa defeated No. 17 Central Florida... Iowa also defeated No. 4 Michigan on Sunday... The Hawkeyes also held now No. 1 Oregon to two runs back on March 8... Iowa is 11-26 on the year... Megan Blank is on the top players in the Big Ten this year... Blank is hitting .429 with 11 doubles, four home runs, and 20 RBIs... The senior has drawn 11 walks and has only struck out seven times in 105 at bats... Sammi Gyerman is batting .304 and has equaled Blank's four home runs... Gyerman has driven in 19 runs this year and also has four outfield assists... Holly Hoffman adds 13 RBIs to the Hawkeye lineup along with a .301 average... Iowa has hit 18 home runs as a team, but Iowa pitching has conceded 46 on the year... The Iowa staff is led by Shayla Starkenburg... The sophomore is 9-15 with a 5.11 ERA... Starkenburg has allowed 103 earned over 141 innings with 120 strikeouts and 106 walks... Ashley Yoways may also appear for the Hawks... Yoways is 2-10 on the year with a 9.04 ERA... The freshman has allowed 99 earned over 76.2 innings... Marla Looper is in her 5th season at Iowa.

SERIES HISTORY: The Leathernecks have lost 14 straight to the Hawkeyes... Western's last victory came in 2000, a 1-0 win in Macomb... In that game, Holly Killion (now Van Vlymen) gave up four hits in a Western Illinois victory as the senior earned her 20th win... The Hawkeyes were ranked 13th at the time... The last time the two programs met., Western Illinois fell 12-4 in six innings early in the 2013 season... Van Vlymen was on staff during the 2003 season, in which Iowa earned the NFCA Midwest region Coaching Staff of the Year award.

IOWA CONNECTION: Current Western Illinois head coach Holly Van Vlymen was previously on staff at Iowa... Van Vlymen spent four years at Iowa, helping the Hawkeyes to a Big Ten title in 2003... Van Vlymen also coached the Big Ten 'Pitcher of the Year' in 2000, 2001, and 2003... She also helped Kristi Hanks in 2001 on her way to NFCA First Team All-American status.