Huskers Visit LA for Three-Game Set with LMU

Friday, Feb. 27 – 8:05 p.m. (CT)
Probable Starters: RHP Sinclair (1-1) vs. RHP Welmon (1-1)
TV: None
Stream: Free Radio (Huskers.com) | Video Stream (LMULions.com)
Radio: Husker Sports Network

Saturday, Feb. 28 – 4:05 p.m. (CT)
Probable Starters: LHP Kubat (0-0) vs. RHP Trevor Megill (1-0)
TV: None
Stream: Free Radio (Huskers.com) | Video Stream (LMULions.com)
Radio: Husker Sports Network

Sunday, March 1 – 1:05 p.m. (CT)
Probable Starters: TBA  vs. RHP Tylor Megill (2-0)
TV: None
Stream: Free Radio (Huskers.com) | Video Stream (LMULions.com)
Radio: Husker Sports Network

Huskers Battle Lions in First Meeting Since 1988
After taking three-of-four from the BYU Cougars in Peoria, Ariz., last weekend, the Nebraska baseball team (4-3, 0-0 Big Ten) hits the road for the third straight weekend for a three-game series in Los Angeles, Calif., against the Loyola Marymount Lions (5-2, 0-0 WCC).

The Lions have played six of their seven games at home this season and are 5-1 at Page Stadium. The Lions opened the season with a series sweep of San Jose State and last weekend rallied to win the final two games of their series against Saint Joseph’s after dropping the series opener. The Lions lost their lone road game of the season, a 7-6 loss at San Diego State.

The Huskers and Lions have meet just twice all-time, with both meeting coming in 1988. Following a eight-day trip to Hawaii, the Huskers stopped in Los Angeles and played a pair of games against the Lions on their way back to Lincoln. The Lions took both games, 15-9 (3/29/88) and 10-7 (3/30/88).

This weekend’s games are scheduled for 8:05 p.m. (CT) on both Friday and Saturday, while the finale on Sunday is set for 2:05 p.m. (CT).

Seniors Chance Sinclair (1-1) and Kyle Kubat (0-0) are scheduled to throw on the first two games of the series for the third straight week. The Huskers have not announced a starter for Sunday’s finale.

On the Radio
Fans across Nebraska and around the world can listen to Lane Grindle and Ben McLaughlin call all of the action on the Husker Sports Network - including KLIN 1400 AM in Lincoln - and live on Huskers.com, the Official Husker App or the TuneIn Radio App.

TV Coverage
None of this week’s games at Loyola Marymount will be on TV.

Web Streams
All three of this weekend’s game will be video streamed live for free on LMULions.com.

Banking on Boldt
Sophomore outfielder Ryan Boldt has been on an offensive tear to start the season, posting a .520 (13-for-25) average through seven games with one triple and a team-high eight runs scored.

Boldt was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Monday after carving up BYU’s pitching staff in Peoria, Ariz. Boldt ended the four-game series going 10-for-16 with six runs scored and three walks to no strikeouts.

Last season, Boldt was named the No. 2 freshman in country by Baseball America, while also earning All-Big Tournament and NCAA Regional All-Tournament honors, as well as Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America accolades.

Welcome Home
After one season at Hutchinson CC, sophomore infielder Jake Schleppenbach returned to Lincoln to play for the Huskers.

The Pius X graduate has been a welcome addition to the 2015 squad, as he has filled a defensive hole at second base left by Pat Kelly and he ranks second on the team with a .400 (10-for-25) batting average.

Schleppenbach hit in the bottom third of the lineup over the first six games of the year, before moving to the leadoff spot in Saturday’s 9-1 win over BYU. The sophomore made the most his opportunity with a 3-for-5 performance and a pair of runs scored.

Young Guns
Through seven games of the 2015 season the Huskers have seen six freshmen pitchers take the mound. The six newcomers have combined for 13.1 innings of work over nine relief appearances.

The six freshmen have shown early success as well, as five of them have yet to allow a run, while the group holds an ERA of 0.69.

Over the past three seasons combined the Huskers had a total of nine freshmen see time on the mound, including three in 2012, two in 2013 and four in 2014.

Finding the Offense
The Huskers are hitting an uncharacteristic .253 though seven games this season, but may have turned the corner in Saturday’s 9-1 win over BYU.

Nebraska notched season highs in both runs (9) and hits (12), including a season-high three doubles. Adding in Ryan Boldt’s triple the Huskers had four extra-base hits in the game, after producing a total of seven extra-base hits through the first six games of the season.

Close the Door
After playing his freshman season at Louisburg College in North Carolina, Josh Roeder joined the Huskers in 2013 and helped solidify the back end of NU’s bullpen.

During the 2013 season, Roeder saw most of his action in a setup role to Dylan Vogt, but did collect six saves. Roeder took over the closer role in 2014 and saved 12 games.

With three saves through seven games this season, Roeder enters Friday’s game against Loyola Marymount ranked second in NU history with 21 career saves and needs 11 more saves in 2015 to break Brett Jensen’s school record of 31 saves.

Veteran Group
Nebraska’s senior class includes eight members who all played a role in Nebraska’s return to the NCAA Tournament last season.

The eight member class is made up of five position players who have combined to start 430 games, while three pitchers have made 101 combined appearances, including 48 starts.

Confidence in the Pen
During Darin Erstad’s tenure at Nebraska, the Husker bullpen has done its job when it has a lead.

Led by pitching coach Ted Silva, the Huskers are 81-11 since 2012 when they lead after the sixth inning. The Huskers are 83-6 when leading after seven innings and nearly perfect when leading after eight innings with a 92-4 record.

24 Hits to Go
After Michael Pritchard and Pat Kelly each joined Nebraska 200-hit club last season, senior Austin Darby is 24 hits away from becoming the program’s 23rd member.

If he joins the club, Darby would be the fourth Husker to join over the past three seasons, as Chad Christensen ended his career with 247 hits in 2013.

Prior to Christensen, Jake Opitz was the last Husker to join the club in 2008.

Matt Hopper holds the school record with 338 career hits and is one of just two players in school history to have topped 300 hits.

NU 200-Career Hit Club

1.   338    Matt Hopper      2000-03

2.   305    Jeff Leise          2000-03

3.   281    Will Bolt            1999-02

4.   261    Darin Erstad      1993-95

5.   251    Michael Pritchard 2001-14

6.   250    Paul Meyers      1984-86

7.   249    Joe Simokaitis  2002-05

8.   248    Jed Dalton        1992-95

9.   247    Chad Christensen 2010-13

10. 246    Darin Petersen   1992-95

11. 242    Mark Kister        1985-87

12. 240    Alex Gordon      2003-05

13. 238    DJ Belfonte       2007-10

14. 234    Todd Sears       1995-97

15. 231    Daniel Bruce      2002-05

16. 229    Ken Ramos       1987-89

17. 227    Jake Opitz         2005-08

18. 223    Curtis Ledbetter 2003-05

19. 222    John Cole         1999-01

20. 212    Pat Kelly           2012-14

21. 203    Ken Harvey       1997-99

22. 201    Francis Collins   1995-97

Like Your Chances with Sinclair
Even though Chance Sinclair is coming off his worst career outing as a Husker, giving up seven runs on 10 hits in a loss to BYU, fans should feel confident with him on the mound Friday night.

A third-team All-American and unanimous first-team All-Big Ten performer last season, Sinclair has a career record of 10-2, including a perfect 6-0 record during Big Ten play.

During his career, the right-hander has gone 6.0 or more innings in 13 of his 17 starts, including nine outings of at least 7.0 innings or more and a 9.0-inning complete game against Ohio State in 2014.

Experienced Lefty
Senior Kyle Kubat has two starts under his belt in 2015 and enters NU’s series with LMU with 30 career starts on the mound, which ranks 14th all time at Nebraska. The lefty from Waterloo, Neb., started eight games in each of his first two seasons before making 12 starts last year.

If Kubat starts at least 12 games in 2015 he will become the first Husker since Johnny Dorn to make at least 40 career starts. Dorn ranks second all-time at Nebraska with 58 career starts from 2000 to 2003.

Since 2000, only four pitchers at Nebraska have made at least 40 career starts, including Shane Komine (59), Dorn (58), Jamie Rodrigue (53) and Zach Kroenke (41).

Not Nice to Steal
Senior catcher Tanner Lubach enters Friday with 34 runners caught stealing, which ranks third all-time at Nebraska. Lubach has started six of NU’s seven games in 2015 and was the Huskers’ primary catcher each of the past two seasons after transferring to Nebraska following one year at Hutchinson Community College.

Cory Burleson (2009-12) holds the school record with 46 runners caught stealing, while current volunteer assistant Jeff Christy ranks second with 38 runners caught stealing in just two years behind the plate in 2005 and 2006.

Topping 100
Senior Austin Darby is 15 RBIs away from becoming the 44th Husker since 1986 to notch 100 RBIs for their career.

Blake Headley (66) and Tanner Lubach (56) also have a chance to join the club this year, but both would need to have career years, as neither has produced even a 30-RBI season.

Pat Kelly joined the club last year and ended his three-year career with 125 RBIs, while Michael Pritchard fell four RBIs short of 100 career RBIs.

Matt Hopper is the only Husker to ever top the 200-RBI mark, with a school-record 271 RBIs.