Huskers Host Michigan State to Open Big Ten Play

The Nebraska softball team begins Big Ten Conference play this weekend when the Huskers host the Michigan State Spartans for a three-game series on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Bowlin Stadium.

Friday’s opener begins at 5:30 p.m. and Saturday’s second game starts at 1 p.m. On Saturday, fans are welcome to bring their leashed dog(s) with them to Bowlin Stadium as part of “Bark in the Park Day”. Sunday’s finale begins at Noon. Fans with a same-day baseball ticket can purchase a general admission softball ticket for only $1.

Fans unable to make it out to the ballpark can follow all of the action online. Nate Rohr will have the call for a free radio broadcast on Huskers.com, and live stats will also be available.

Nebraska brings a 12-12 record into conference play following a 4-1 showing last week that included a 10-1 run-rule victory over UNO in the home opener. That win marked NU’s 11th consecutive home victory, and the Huskers have also won 10 consecutive conference games at Bowlin Stadium.

In five games last week, Nebraska outscored its opponents 42-12. The Husker offense continued its strong hitting, averaging 8.4 runs per game. Nebraska tallied at least 10 runs three times last week, as the Huskers have now totaled double-digit runs in 10 of their first 24 games.

The NU pitching staff also performed well, posting a 2.90 ERA in five games last week, its lowest mark of any week this season.

This Week's Top 10

1. Nebraska has won 11 consecutive home games, the longest home winning streak in the Big Ten.
2. NU has won a league-best 10 consecutive Big Ten Conference home games.
3. Nebraska is 22-16 all-time in conference openers, including a 2-1 mark in Big Ten openers. Head Coach Rhonda Revelle is 11-11 in her 22 conference openers.
4. The Huskers rank second in the Big Ten in batting average and third in slugging percentage, on-base percentage and runs per game.
5. Nebraska has scored double-digit runs 10 times in 24 games. The school record for most games scoring 10 or more runs in a season is 11 (2014).
6. Nebraska’s offense is currently on pace score 369 runs and average 6.6 runs per game, which would top the school records of 358 runs (1996) and 5.7 runs per game (2014).
7. The Husker pitching staff posted a 2.90 ERA last week, its lowest mark of any week this season.
8. Nebraska has held five consecutive opponents to three or fewer runs.
9. Junior right-hander Emily Lockman earned the 40th win of her career last Friday against Charleston Southern.
10. Juniors Alicia Armstrong and Kiki Stokes and sophomore MJ Knighten have each produced a multi-homer game this season.

Scouting Michigan State (15-12)
Michigan State enters Big Ten Conference play with a 15-12 overall record. The Spartans went 3-2 last week at the Mercer Tournament, defeating Alabama A&M twice and Youngstown State once, while falling twice to Mercer.

MSU lost its final six Big Ten games last season, including a three-game Nebraska sweep in East Lansing.

Offensively, Michigan State is batting .262 as a team while averaging 4.0 runs per game. The Spartans scored a season-high 12 runs in their last game against Alabama A&M. MSU has also stolen 37 bases in only 40 attempts.

In the circle, Michigan State boasts a 3.43 ERA and allows an average of 3.7 runs per game. The Spartans have tossed four shutouts this season, and MSU boasts a strikeout-to-walk ratio of nearly 2-to-1.

Home Sweet Home
Nebraska opened its home season on March 11 with a 10-1, run-rule victory over UNO. The Huskers, who won their home opener for the 10th consecutive season, have enjoyed tremendous recent success at Bowlin Stadium.

• The Huskers have won 11 consecutive home games, the longest home winning streak of any Big Ten team.
• Nebraska has won 10 consecutive Big Ten Conference home games, the longest streak in the league.
• Nebraska has swept three consecutive home Big Ten series (Iowa, Ohio State and Indiana in 2014).
• NU has posted a 28-5 record in home conference games since joining the Big Ten (2012-present). That record ranks second in the league behind Michigan (32-5).
• Nebraska has won 11 of its 12 home conference series since joining the Big Ten (2012-present).
• NU has posted a 37-8 home record (.822) since 2012.
• Overall, Nebraska boasts a 179-65 record at Bowlin Stadium, good for a .734 winning percentage.
• The Husker pitching staff has been tremendous at home the past five seasons. Since 2011, Nebraska boasts a 1.67 ERA in 69 games at Bowlin Stadium.

Pitching Staff Posts Best Week
The Nebraska pitching staff posted a 4-1 record and a 2.90 ERA last week, its lowest ERA of any week this season. Nebraska has lowered its weekly ERA in each of the last four weeks.

The Huskers held all five opponents last week to three or fewer runs. Before last week, Nebraska had not gone more than two consecutive games without allowing more than three runs.

Sophomore right-hander Cassie McClure went 3-0 last week with a 2.88 ERA. In her three starts, Junior right-hander Emily Lockman compiled a 1-1 record last week with a 2.92 ERA. The 2.92 ERA was Lockman’s lowest following any week this season.

NU Scoring Runs at Record Rate
Nebraska’s offense has scored 158 runs in its first 24 games, the most runs in program history in a season’s first 25 games.

• The Huskers are averaging 6.6 runs per game. The school record for runs per game is 5.7 in 2014.
• NU is on pace to scored is on pace to score 369 runs based on a 56-game season (the NCAA regular-season maximum). The school record is 358 runs in 1996.
• The 2015 Huskers were the second-fastest team in NU history to score 100 runs, reaching the mark in 17 games.
• Nebraska scored 55 runs in five games the opening weekend, the most runs a Husker team has ever scored in the first five games of a season.
• NU scored at least 10 runs in four straight games the opening weekend, becoming the first team in school history to total double-digit runs in four straight games.
• NU has scored double-digit runs 10 times in 24 games.

Big Innings for Big Red
NU has scored multiple runs in an inning 34 times in 24 games, averaging more than one big inning per game.

• The Huskers have scored in a total of 57 innings this season. When NU scores in an inning, 60 percent of the time it scores at least one more run in that inning.
• NU has scored three-or-more runs in an inning 22 times.
• NU has scored five-or-more runs in an inning 10 times.
• NU has scored six-or-more runs in an inning nine times.
• The Huskers’ season high for runs in an inning is nine against Montana on Feb. 7 and vs. UNO on March 11.

Offensive Comparison: 2014 to 2015
Nebraska set school records for home runs, total bases, extra-base hits, RBIs and slugging percentage in 2014, while also ranking second all-time in runs and doubles, third in on-base percentage and fourth in batting average.

The Huskers lost their top three statistical hitters from the 2014 lineup, a group that included a pair of two-time All-Americans and Nebraska’s only three all-region hitters. Despite the losses, the Husker offense is enjoying a better start to the season than last year’s decorated group.

Entering play this week, NU ranked second in the Big Ten in average (.348) and third in slugging percentage (.500), on-base percentage (.431) and runs per game (6.6).

• Nebraska’s batting average is .076 higher this season than it was through 24 games last season.
• The Huskers have scored 57 more runs through 24 games this season than they did a year ago, while averaging 2.4 more runs per game.
• The 2014 offense set a school record for RBIs. That offense produced 86 RBIs in its first 24 games, while this year’s lineup has totaled 147 RBIs in its 24 games.
• The 2014 offense set a school record for extra-base hits. Nebraska had 45 extra-base hits through the first 24 games last season, while NU has 57 extra-base hits through the first 24 games this season.

Fowler & Stokes Reach Milestones
Juniors Mattie Fowler and Kiki Stokes both reached a pair of career milestones against Boise State on March 13. Fowler picked up her 100th career hit against the Broncos, joining Stokes, Alicia Armstrong and Steph Pasquale as Huskers with 100 career hits. Stokes scored the 100th run of her career against Boise State, becoming the only current Husker with 100 career runs scored.

Knighten Posts Big Week
Sophomore MJ Knighten produced big numbers in helping Nebraska to a 4-1 record last week. Knighten was especially good in her return to home state for the Easton Invitational in Fullerton, Calif.

• Knighten went 9-for-17 (.529) last week with six runs, two doubles, two homers and nine RBIs.
• Knighten produced nine RBIs herself, while Nebraska’s five opponents combined for only 11 RBIs.
• Knighten produced three multi-hit efforts, including a pair of perfect days.
• Knighten went 2-for-2 with a double, an RBI and a run  scored against UNO on March 11.
• Two days later, she went 3-for-3 with a double, two home runs, three runs scored and five RBIs against Charleston Southern.
• Knighten produced career highs in runs, home runs, RBIs and extra-base hits vs. Charleston Southern.
• Knighten tallied her first career multi-homer game vs. Charleston Southern after hitting her first two home runs of the season.

Who’s on First?
Juniors Mattie Fowler and Dawna Tyson have split time at first base this season and the competition has brought out the best in both players.

Fowler has earned 15 starts at first base, while Tyson has made nine starts at first and four as the designated player.

• Fowler is batting .359 this year, .108 higher than her career average entering this season.
• Fowler has added one double, two runs and eight RBIs.
• Tyson is hitting .355 this spring, .129 higher than her career average entering this season.
• Tyson has added one double, two home runs, four runs scored and 11 RBIs.