Nebraska and Creighton Renew Rivalry on Wednesday

The Nebraska softball team wraps up a six-game road trip with its final mid-week game of the season on Wednesday, when the Huskers travel to Omaha to take on the Creighton Bluejays.

First pitch between the Huskers and Bluejays is set for 6 p.m. at the Creighton Sports Complex. Fans can listen to the game for free on Huskers.com, or watch a free live video stream on gocreighton.com.

Nebraska looks to snap a two-game losing streak on Wednesday, as the Huskers lost both games of their rain-shortened series at No. 24 Minnesota last weekend. Nebraska managed just one hit and one base runner in a 6-0 loss in game one of the series before bouncing back with a much better performance in game two of the series and against All-America ace Sara Groenewegen.

Although the Huskers lost game two, 11-10, Nebraska enjoyed arguably its best offensive performance of the season. The Huskers pounded out 15 hits, including season highs with nine extra-base hits and five doubles. NU also matched its season highs with three homers and one triple.

The Huskers tagged Groenewegen for a season-high eight earned runs on 11 hits in 4.1 innings. One of the nation’s best pitchers, Groenewegen had allowed a total of only eight earned runs in her first 61.0 innings of Big Ten play this season, before Nebraska scored eight earned runs against her in 4.1 innings.

While Nebraska pitching allowed 17 runs in two games last week, the Huskers have allowed three or fewer runs in five of their 13 games this month.

This Week's Top 10

1. Nebraska came in at No. 31 in this week’s NCAA RPI ranking, remaining in solid position for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
2. The Huskers have faced six of the top eight teams in this week’s NCAA RPI ranking, with wins over three of those six teams.
3. Nebraska and No. 1 Florida are the only two teams in the country who have defeated at least three of the top-10 teams in this week’s NCAA RPI.
4. Nebraska needs two wins this week to record its eighth straight 30-win season and its 18th in the last 19 seasons.
5. The Huskers (8-7) are seeking their fourth consecutive season with a winning road record.
6. Wednesday’s game will mark the 121st meeting between Nebraska and Creighton.
7. The Huskers have played more games against Creighton than any other team in school history and have won more games (83) against the Bluejays than any other opponent in school history.
8. MJ Knighten has become the first Husker to produce 50 hits, 50 runs and 50 RBIs in consecutive seasons.
9. MJ Knighten is 1 of 5 players nationally with 50 hits, 50 runs and 50 RBIs entering this week.
10. Cassie McClure is 1 of 6 pitchers nationally who have totaled at least 15 wins and five saves this season.

Leading Off...

• NU is 26-3 when holding its opponent to five runs or less.
• NU has come from behind in 15 of its 28 wins this year.
• The Huskers have scored the winning run in the sixth inning or later in 11 of their 28 victories this season.
• The Huskers rank in the top 50 nationally in home runs (12th), double plays (31st), slugging percentage (27th), doubles (43rd) and scoring (44th).
• Nebraska has scored three runs or more in an inning 15 times in its 16 Big Ten Conference games, including four innings where the Huskers scored eight or more runs.
• Nebraska is averaging 6.0 runs per game this season, which would be the second-highest total in school history.
• The Huskers are currently posting the second-best on-base percentage (.398) and slugging percentage (.503) in school history, after setting records in both categories last season (.431 and .505, respectively).
• Nebraska currently ranks fourth in school history with 57 home runs, fifth with a .299 team batting average and sixth with 128 extra-base hits.

Husker Quick Hits

• Mattie Fowler has produced at least one RBI in 11 of her last 17 games to total a career-high 30 RBIs.
• Fowler is perfect in 326 chances defensively this season. There has been only one Husker to post a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in a season, with a minimum of 150 chances (catcher Jenny Smith was error-free in 272 chances in 1996).
• MJ Knighten is tied for the Big Ten lead in home runs (18) and ranks second in RBIs (50) and slugging percentage (.857), third in runs (50) and walks (33), fifth in on-base percentage (.532) and eighth in hits (53).
• Knighten ranks fourth nationally in home runs, 11th in slugging percentage, 19th in RBIs, 25th in on-base percentage and 30th in walks.
• Knighten walked only three times during her first 19 games. Over her last 25 games, Knighten has walked 30 times, including nine games with multiple walks.
• Knighten’s current .532 on-base percentage is tied for the school record, while Knighten is four home runs from tying that Husker record.
• Knighten’s current .857 slugging percentage ranks second in school history, and she looks to join three-time All-American Ali Viola as the only Huskers to post an .800 slugging percentage (Viola slugged .865 in 1998).
• Cassie McClure leads the Big Ten in saves (5) and ranks second in appearances (35) and fifth in wins (16).
• McClure is one of only 10 pitchers who rank in the top 50 nationally in victories and saves. She is also one of only six pitchers nationally with 15 wins and five saves.
• Kiki Stokes ranks fourth in the Big Ten in hits (55), runs (47) and stolen bases (16), fifth in triples (3), sixth in average (.399), seventh in on-base percentage (.509) and eighth in walks (27).

Knighten Joins Elite Company
MJ Knighten is enjoying an outstanding junior season, putting up numbers that rank her among the best hitters in the country and in the history of Husker softball.

• Knighten owns 53 hits, 50 runs and 50 RBIs in only 44 games this season, totaling 50 hits, 50 runs and 50 RBIs for the second straight season.
• Knighten is 1 of 4 Huskers to produce 50 hits, 50 runs and 50 RBIs in a season. She is the only Husker to have more than one season with 50 hits, 50 runs and 50 RBIs.
• Knighten is 1 of 5 players nationally with 50 hits, 50 runs and 50 RBIs, and she is also 1 of 12 players nationally averaging more than 1.0 hit, 1.0 run and 1.0 RBI per game.
• Knighten has also joined three-time All-American Ali Viola as the only Huskers to produce back-to-back 50-RBI seasons.
• Knighten has become the third Husker to score 50 runs in back-to-back seasons.
• Knighten is 1 of 5 players in school history to total 50 hits as a freshman, sophomore and junior.
• Knighten owns 191 hits, the third-highest total by a Husker before her senior season. She is bidding to join All-American Kim Ogee as the only Huskers to reach 200 hits before their senior season. Ogee had 208 hits in 202 games her first three seasons, while Knighten has 191 hits in her first 164 games.

Scouting Creighton (25-17)
Creighton is 25-17 this season, but the Bluejays have lost five of their last six games, including the final two games of their Big East Conference series at Butler last weekend. Creighton had been on a six-game winning streak before its recent skid.

Nebraska and Creighton share four common opponents this season in Drake, Georgetown, Oklahoma and South Dakota State. The Huskers posted a 3-1 record against that group, while the Bluejays went 6-3.

Bluejay Offense
Creighton is batting .260 as a team while averaging 4.2 runs per game. The Bluejays have scored only eight runs in their last seven games. Creighton has struck out 250 times in 42 games, but has also drawn 152 walks.

Tash Coffiel leads Creighton with a .356 average in 87 at bats this season. She is also tied for the team lead with two triples and has driven in 13. Allie Reinhart is hitting .355 with a team-high seven doubles, and she has added six homers and 27 RBIs. Jen Daro owns a .322 average and leads the Bluejays with nine home runs and 38 RBIs. Michelle Trulin is batting .291 with a team-high 26 runs. Aujane McCoy leads Creighton with 15 stolen bases. The first-year junior college transfer has yet to be thrown out in 15 stolen base attempts this season.

Bluejay Defense
Creighton has been solid in the circle, posting a 3.25 ERA while allowing an average of only 3.6 runs per game. The Bluejays average fewer than one error per game, and the staff has combined for seven shutouts. Creighton also boasts a strikeout-to-walk ratio of nearly 4-to-1, as the Bluejays have struck out 301 batters in 276.0 innings, while issuing only 79 walks.

Sydnee Eck and Micaela Whitney have been a potent combination as Creighton’s primary pitchers this season. Eck has made 23 appearances and 18 starts while compiling a 13-8 record with a 3.18 ERA. She has struck out 166 batters in 125.1 innings, while walking only 25. She has also thrown three shutouts but has allowed 15 home runs. Whitney is 8-7 with a 2.44 ERA in 21 appearances and 17 starts. Whitney leads the Bluejays with four shutouts and two saves. She has struck out 118 batters in 103.1 innings, and opponents are hitting just .214 against her.

Michal Hylton (4-1, 4.24 ERA in 39.2 IP), Daro (0-0, 9.33 ERA in 3.0 IP) and Kelly Mardones (0-1, 15.00 ERA in 4.2 IP) round out the Bluejay staff.

Bluejay Coaching Staff
Brent Vigness is in his 23rd season at Creighton, where he owns a 711-508-3 record. Overall, Vigness is 859-579-4 in his 28th season as a head coach. Vigness is assisted by former Bluejays Renae Sinkler and Alexis Cantu.

Series History With Creighton
Nebraska has played Creighton more than any other opponent in program history, as Wednesday’s game will mark the 121st meeting between the in-state rivals. The Huskers lead the all-time series, 83-37. Nebraska has won more games against Creighton than any other opponent in school history, while Rhonda Revelle owns more wins over Creighton (55) than any other opponent in her coaching career.

The Huskers have won four straight in the series and 10 of the last 11 meetings dating back to 2009. Nebraska is facing Creighton at the CU Sports Complex for the first time since a 4-3 win in 2013. The Huskers have won three of the last four meetings at the Creighton Sports Complex and lead the series, 31-21 in Omaha.