Huskers End Regular Season at Illinois

Thursday, May 14 (6:05 p.m.)
Probable Starters: RHP Sinclair (6-6) vs. LHP Duchene (9-1)
TV: None
Audio Stream: Huskers.com | Video Stream: Illinois All Access
Radio: Husker Sports Network

Friday, May 15 (6:02 p.m.)
Probable Starters: LHP Kubat (4-4) vs. RHP Johnson (8-2)
TV: BTN
Audio Stream: Huskers.com | Video Stream: BTN2Go
Radio: Husker Sports Network

Saturday, May 16 (2:02 p.m.)
Probable Starters: RHP Burkamper (5-3) vs. TBA
TV: BTN
Audio Stream: Huskers.com | Video Stream: BTN2Go
Radio: Husker Sports Network

Lincoln - With three games left in the regular season, the Nebraska baseball team (34-19, 9-12 Big Ten) will start its final Big Ten series of the year on Thursday in Champaign, Ill., against the No. 5 Illinois Fighting Illini (43-6-1, 19-1 Big Ten). The series runs Thursday-Friday-Saturday, with both Thursday and Friday’s games set for 6:05 p.m. Saturday’s regular-season finale is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. Both Friday and Saturday’s games will be carried live nationwide on the Big Ten Network.

Nebraska comes into the series eighth in the Big Ten Conference following a 2-1 series loss to Purdue. Nebraska has struggled of late and is 4-6 in its last 10 games and is just 2-7 on the road during Big Ten play this season.

The Illini are at the opposite end of the spectrum, as they enter the weekend on a 24-game winning streak, which ties them with Texas A&M for the longest winning streak in the nation this season. The Illini have swept a school-record six straight Big Ten series heading into Thursday. Illinois last overall loss and lone conference loss this season came on March 29 at Michigan State, 5-2. The Illini enter the weekend with a 1.5 game lead over Iowa for the Big Ten regular season title. The Hawkeyes wrap up the season with a three game series at Rutgers.

The series will be the fourth between the Huskers and Illini since Nebraska joined the Big Ten for the 2012 season. The Huskers have won each of the first three series between the two teams, including a 2-1 series win in Champaign in 2013. Nebraska and Illinois first met in 1897, with Illinois winning 14-9, and the two clubs didn’t meet again until 2012 when Nebraska hosted Illinois for its first ever Big Ten game on March 23, 2012. The Illini won the opener, 11-3, but the Huskers responded with victories in the final two games to win the series.

On the Radio
Fans across Nebraska and around the world can listen to Greg Sharpe and Lane Grindle 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
Friday and Saturday’s games will be carried live on the Big Ten Network.

Web Streams
Thursday’s game will be streamed on Illinois’ All Access website. Friday and Saturday’s games will be streamed live on BTN2Go.com and the BTN2Go App.

Earn a Bid
Following a series loss to Purdue, the Huskers are still in position to reach the 2015 Big Ten Tournament. Nebraska is in search of its fourth straight trip to the postseason tournament, which will be hosted at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minn. Nebraska last qualified for four-straight conference tournaments when they were members of the Big 12, as they made 10 straight tournaments from 1999 to 2008.

Nebraska can lock up a bid to the tournament with one win this weekend at Illinois. If the Huskers win a game, Minnesota can still tie Nebraska in the standing, but the Huskers own the tie breaker over the Gophers since Nebraska won the season series this year.

Without a win this weekend at Illinois, Nebraska can still qualify for the tournament, but would need other teams to lose games as well. If the Huskers are swept this weekend, they would need Minnesota and Penn State to both lose at least one game this weekend to secure a bid. The Gophers host Michigan State, while Penn State finishes the year at Purdue.

Close the Door

With his 15th save of the season last Saturday against Purdue, Josh Roeder added to his career record at Nebraska with his 33rd career save. Earlier this season, Roeder broke Brett Jensen’s previous record of  31 career saves.

While adding to his career mark, Roeder will now try to break Jensen’s single-season record of 16 saves, set in 2005.

After playing his freshman season at Louisburg College in North Carolina, 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.

This season, Roeder has converted 15 saves in 16 chances. His only blown save of the year was the result of a unearned run that scored on a two-out error.

20 Two-Baggers for 22
In the history of Nebraska baseball, only 18 players have recorded 20 doubles in a season. Senior Blake Headley enters this week’s series with 18 doubles on the year and is looking to become the 19th player to join the club before the end of the 2015 season.

Michael Pritchard was the last player to top 20 doubles in a season with 21 doubles in 2014. Cody Asche holds the school record with 27 doubles in 2011.

Three or Less
In 33 of Nebraska’s 53 games this season the Husker pitching staff has allowed three runs or less. The Huskers are 27-6 when holding the opposition to three runs or less, while they are 7-13 on the year when teams score four or more runs.

Nebraska is 4-9 on the year when opponents score five or more runs.

Start with Boldt
After earning Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America honors last season, Ryan Boldt has avoided a sophomore slump. The Red Wing, Minn., native leads the Huskers in average (.351), hits (72) and runs (44). Michael Pritchard was the last Husker to score more than 50 runs in a season with 51 in 2012.

Boldt has produced multiple hits in eight of his last 10 games and is hitting .457 (21-for-46) during the stretch.

The NU leadoff hitter has displayed a great eye at the plate with 26 walks to 23 strikeouts, and he also leads the team with a .437 on-base percentage.

Through Monday’s games, Boldt’s 72 hits rank third in the Big Ten behind Michigan’s Jacob Cronenworth (74) and Maryland’s Brandon Lowe (73). Boldt also ranks seventh in the league in batting average and is tied for ninth in runs scored.

Going for 20
Senior Kyle Kubat enters NU’s series with Illinois with a 19-7 career record and is trying to become just the 11th player in program history to notch 20 wins during their career.

Since picking up his 19th career win against Michigan on March 21, Kubat has four losses and three no decisions in his past seven starts.

Kubat has done his part by giving up two earned runs or less in five of the seven starts and is allowing an average of 2.6 earned runs over the seven-game stretch.

Kubat needs more support from his offense though, as he has received 2.0 runs per game over his last seven starts.

If Kubat reaches 20 wins, he would tie Zach Kroenke (2003-05) and Jim Sandstedt (1946-49) for ninth place in the NU’s career record book.

Shane Komine holds the school record for wins with 41 during his career from 1999 to 2002.

Right the Ship
The Huskers entered the month of April with a 23-7 record, but have played .500 baseball since with a 12-12 mark.

The Huskers are 1-2 in Big Ten road series this year and look to even the mark this week with its series at Illinois.

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 105-13 since 2012 when they lead after the sixth inning. The Huskers are 109-7 when leading after seven innings and are nearly perfect when leading after eight innings with a 118-4 record.

Year  Lead after 6     After 7      After 8

2012              31-5         29-3          31-2

2013              20-3         25-2          28-1

2014              28-3         27-1          31-1

2015              26-2         28-1          28-0

Pound the Zone
The Husker pitching staff has racked up 352 strikeouts this year, while issuing 131 walks, for a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 2.69-to-1.

The Huskers haven’t had a strikeout to walk ratio of 2-to-1 or better since 2008 when they finished the year with 491 strikeouts to 192 walks for a ratio of 2:56-to-1

Four times in 50 games this season the Husker pitching staff has completed a game without walking a single batter. Last season the Huskers didn’t walk a batter in six of their 62 games.

200 and Counting
After Michael Pritchard and Pat Kelly each joined Nebraska’s 200-hit club last season, senior Austin Darby became the program’s 23rd member on Saturday, April 4 at Maryland with a one-out single in the seventh inning. Darby enters NU’s series with Illinois ranked 18th in school history with 224 career hits, with three hits he’ll tie Jake Opitz for 17th on the career list.

Darby is the fourth Husker to join the club over the past three seasons, as Chad Christensen ended his career with 247 hits in 2013. Prior to Christensen, 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 2011-14

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. 224    Austin Darby 2012-present

19. 223    Curtis Ledbetter 2003-05

20. 222    John Cole         1999-01

21. 212    Pat Kelly           2012-14

22. 203    Ken Harvey       1997-99

23. 201    Francis Collins   1995-97

Tough Schedule
The Huskers enter the weekend with the 64th toughest schedule in the country (WarrenNolan.com) and the Huskers also have arguably the most grueling Big Ten schedule as well.

Entering the weekend the Huskers sit eighth in the Big Ten standing. Nebraska has already or will play series against five of the top six teams in the league.

Standings                     Series Against B1G Top 8

1. Illinois                        4 (Michigan State, Ohio State, Nebraska, Indiana)

2. Iowa                          4 (Maryland, Nebraska, Michigan, Indiana)

3. Ohio State                 5 (Michigan State, Nebraska, Illinois, Maryland, Indiana)

    Maryland                   5 (Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Iowa, Ohio State)

    Michigan State           3 (Ohio State, Indiana, Illinois)

6. Michigan                    4 (Nebraska, Maryland, Indiana, Iowa)

7. Indiana                       6 (Iowa, Michigan, Illinois, Michigan State, Maryland, Ohio State)

8. Nebraska                   5 (Michigan, Maryland, Ohio State, Iowa, Illinois)

Get the Hits
Last season the Huskers produced double-digit hits in 30 of their 62 games, including 14 of their 27 home games. The Huskers were 25-5 when notching double-digit hits last season.

Through 53 games this season, the Huskers have notched double-digit hits 22 times and are 21-1 in those games. NU’s lone loss game at Northwestern when the Huskers totaled 11 hits, but were shutout 5-0.

The Huskers are 25-3 this year when out-hitting their opponent. The only losses came against LSU, Cal State Fullerton and Northwestern.

Last season, Nebraska was 32-3 when they out hit their opponent, with losses coming against Oregon State, as well as both of NU’s losses to Cal State Fullerton in the NCAA Tournament.

Experienced Lefty

Senior Kyle Kubat became the eighth Husker in school history to make 40 career starts on Saturday, May 2, at Northwestern.

Kubat made his 41st career start last Sunday against Purdue to tie Zach Kroenke, Josh Bullock and John Lepley for fifth on the all-time list with 41 starts. With a start against Illinois, Kubat will take over sole possession of fifth place on the career list.

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

Topping the Century Mark
On Sunday, April 12, senior Austin Darby collected his 100th career RBI to become the 44th Husker since 1986 to notch 100 RBIs in their career. After producing 15 RBIs as a freshman, Darby topped the 30-RBI during both his sophomore and junior years with 33 and 36 RBIs, respectively. Through 53 games this season, Darby has 24 RBIs.

With 36 RBIs in 2015, Blake Headley (94 career RBIs) can also join the club this season with six more RBIs.

Headley has improved his RBI total every year at Nebraska. After notching six as a freshman in 2012, he produced 25 in 2013, topped that number with 27 in 2014 and has already set a single-season high with 36 this season.

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

Tanner Tearing It Up
Tanner Lubach didn’t get off to the start he wanted in his senior year, going 0-for-18 to start the season. Lubach broke the dry spell with a double that nearly left the park against BYU on Saturday, Feb. 21.

In his 39 games since, Lubach is hitting .351 (53-for-151) with eight doubles, one triple, three home runs and 18 multi-hit performances.

On the year, Lubach is second on the team with a .316 average and is fourth on the team in RBIs with 22.

Over NU’s last 10 games, Lubach has played in nine and is second on the team with a.419 average (13-for-31).

Most importantly, Lubach has struck out 18 times over his past 39 games, after notching nine strikeouts through his first six games of the season.