Huskers Open NCAA Tournament with Cowboys

Friday, June 3 - 11 a.m. (CT)
Probable Starters: RHP Waldron (7-2) vs. RHP Hatch (6-2)
TV: ESPNU
Audio Stream: Huskers.com | Video Stream: WatchESPN
Radio: Husker Sports Network

Lincoln - The No. 3 seed Nebraska baseball team (37-20, 16-8 Big Ten) will see a former Big 12 Conference foe in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson, S.C., as the Huskers will face the No. 2 seed Oklahoma State Cowboys (36-20, 16-8 Big 12). The Huskers and Cowboys open the Clemson Regional at 11 a.m. (CT) and the game will be carried live on ESPNU. Top-seeded Clemson will face No. 4 seed Western Carolina at 6 p.m.

The Huskers and Cowboys were once both members of the Big 12 Conference, with the Cowboys joining the league for the 1997 baseball season and the teams were conference counterparts for 15 years before Nebraska left for the Big Ten Conference following the 2011 season. The teams met for a conference series all 15 seasons and in 44 regular-season meetings the Huskers posted a 24-20 record.

In a series that started on May 2, 1958, with an 8-1 victory by the Cowboys, Friday will mark the 182nd all-time meeting between Nebraska and Oklahoma State, and the Cowboys hold a 111-70 advantage over the Huskers. The teams last met in 2013 during the TD Ameritrade Park Classic and the Cowboys swept a doubleheader, 5-3 (10 innings) and 4-0.

Nebraska's last NCAA Regional trip was in 2014 and the Huskers earned an at-large bid to the Stillwater Regional, but the Huskers and host Cowboys did not meet.

Looking at the rest of the field in Clemson, the Huskers have played Clemson twice and have never played Western Carolina. The Huskers and Tigers last met in the opening round of the 2002 College World Series, with the Tigers holding on for an 11-10 victory.

How to Listen/Watch the Huskers
Fans can listen to Greg Sharpe and Ben McLaughlin call all the action on the Husker Sports Network, including on Huskers.com and the Official Husker App.

Every Nebraska game at the NCAA Tournament can be heard in Lincoln on 1400 AM and in Omaha on 590 AM. The games are also scheduled to be carried on TuneIn Radio.

Nebraska's NCAA Tournament opener on Friday will be carried live on ESPNU and will also be streamed live on WatchESPN.

Nebraska's NCAA Tournament History
Nebraska will be playing in its 14th NCAA Regional this weekend in Clemson, S.C., and its second since Head Coach Darin Erstad took over in 2012. The Huskers have advanced to Super Regionals four times and have appeared in the College World Series three times, including 2001, 2002 and 2005.

The Huskers last made the postseason in 2014 and went 1-2 at the Stillwater Regional, including a win over Binghamton, while both losses were to Cal State Fullerton.

Since qualifying for its first regional in 1979, the Northeast Regional in Annapolis, Md., the Huskers have posted a 32-27 record. NU's first NCAA win came in 1979, a 13-4 victory over Navy.

Looking at how Nebraska has fared in its previous 13 opening round games, the Huskers have posted an 8-5 record. But five of those wins came in Lincoln. Nebraska last took an opening round game away from Lincoln in 2000 when the Huskers beat Butler, 2-1, to open the Minneapolis Regional at Siebert Field.

First Year Wins
True freshman Matt Waldron enters the NCAA Tournament with a 7-2 record, including a complete-game shutout of Penn State on May 14. The first complete-game shutout by a Husker pitcher since 2010 when freshman Tom Lemke blanked Texas A&M, 1-0, on May 2.

Waldron's seven wins are tied for 15th nationally among freshmen

Dating back to the end of his start at Michigan State on Sunday, May 8, Waldron hasn't allowed an earned run over his last 24.1 innings.

Waldron's seven wins are the most by a Husker true freshman since 2005 when Johnny Dorn led the team with a 12-2 record.

Quality Starts
Over Nebraska's first 37 games this season, the Huskers had a starting pitcher go 7.0 innings or more just one time, as Derek Burkamper went 7.0 innings against Long Beach State on March 11.

The next outing of 7.0 innings of more came on April 22 when Burkamper went 8.0 innings against Nicholls State. Including the game against the Colonels the Huskers have received 10 outings of at least 7.0 innings over their last 20 games from their starting pitchers, including all three games against Indiana to end the regular season when NU's starters didn't allow a run, tossing a combined 22.1 shutout innings.

Last season in 57 games, Nebraska had four starters combine to go 7.0 innings or more 17 times, including Kyle Kubat (8), Chance Sinclair (5), Burkamper (3) and Garett King (1).

Looking at quality starts, when a starting pitcher throws at least 6.0 innings and allows three earned runs or less, the Huskers have 18 on the season in 57 games. 13 of the 18 quality starts have come in Nebraska's last 20 games.

Get a Lead for the Bullpen
During Darin Erstad's tenure at Nebraska, the Husker bullpen has done its job when it has a lead. Prior to ninth-inning walk-off loss earlier this season at Rutgers on Friday, April 29, the Huskers had won 73 straight games when leading after the eighth inning.

Led by pitching coach Ted Silva, the Huskers are 137-17 since the start of the 2012 season when they lead after the sixth inning. The Huskers are 143-9 when leading after seven innings and are nearly perfect when leading after eight innings with a 155-5 record.

50-50
Scott Schreiber and Ben Miller have battled all season for the team lead in RBIs, with Schreiber holding a 55-46 edge over Miller entering Friday.

The last time NU had a pair of sluggers each top 50 RBIs was 2010, when Adam Bailey drove in 69 runs and Cody Asche plated 58.

Count on Chesnut
Senior Jeff Chesnut rewrote the Nebraska record book on Monday, May 9, when he made his school record 88th career appearance. Chesnut broke Steve Hale's record with his 26th appearance this season.

Chesnut enters Friday with 91 career appearances, including a team-high 29 this season. His next appearance would tie him for 10th place on NU's single-season list.

Chesnut made a career-high 31 last year, which tied him for sixth on Nebraska's single-season chart.

Sophomore Slugger
First-Team All-Big Ten pick sophomore Scott Schreiber is tied for 22nd nationally and leads the Big Ten with 16 home runs, while his 55 RBIs rank second to Michigan's Harrison Wenson, who has 56 RBIs. During league play, Schreiber finished the season tied for the league lead in home runs with six and led the Big Ten with 25 RBIs.

Schreiber's 16 homers are the most by a Husker since 2010 when Adam Bailey hit 18 and the most by a Husker sophomore since 2004 when Alex Gordon led the team with 18.

Schreiber has a three multi-homer games this season, the first time a Husker has done that since 2006 when Brandon Buckman also did it three times. Nebraska's Director of Operations, Curtis Ledbetter, was the last Husker to have four multi-homer games in the same season, in 2005.

Filthy Freshman
After career saves holder Josh Roeder graduated last year, the Huskers needed to find a new closer. It wasn't a problem early on, as the Huskers didn't have a save opportunity during their first 13 games.

That changed on Saturday, March 12, when the Huskers entered the ninth inning with a 3-0 lead and NU went to true freshman Chad Luensmann. The 6-4 right hander has since saved 13 games in 14 chances. His 13 saves are tied for 12th best in the country, while he is tied with Long Beach State's Chris Rivera for the most saves by a freshman.

For his work during the regular season, Luensmann was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, the first Husker to ever earn the honor.

Luensmann already holds the freshman record at Nebraska for saves and is climbing Nebraska's single-season top-10 list. His next save would give him sole possession of third place and he enters Friday three saves shy of tying Brett Jensen's single-season record of 16 saves in 2005.

Nine of Luensmann's 13 saves came come during Big Ten play, which led the league.

Boldting Up the List
Named one of 60 players on the 2016 Gold Spike Award Midseason Watch list, Ryan Boldt became the 24th member of Nebraska's 200-hit club on Sunday, April 10, with a single in the ninth inning against Northwestern. Boldt enters Friday tied with Nebraska Director of Operations Curtis Ledbetter for 19th all time at Nebraska with 223 career hits.

Boldt is just the 15th player in school history to reach the mark in three seasons or less, and the first since his cousin, Pat Kelly, notched 212 hits from 2012-14.

Other Huskers who have reached 200 or more hits in three seasons include: Darin Erstad (261), Paul Meyers (250), Matt Hooper (249), Mark Kister (242), Alex Gordon (240), Todd Sears (234), Ken Ramos (229), Curtis Ledbetter (223), John Cole (222), Jeff Leise (217), Pat Kelly (212), Will Bolt (205), Ken Harvey (203), Francis Collins (201).

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. 226 Austin Darby 2012-15
19. 223 Curtis Ledbetter 2003-05
223 Ryan Boldt 2014-Present
20. 222 John Cole 1999-01
22. 212 Pat Kelly 2012-14
23. 203 Ken Harvey 1997-99
24. 201 Francis Collins 1995-97

Jake of All Trades
Sophomore Jake Meyers has worn many hats for the Huskers this year, including outfielder, starting pitcher and three-hole hitter. Meyers enters the Friday ranked second on the team with a .321 battering average over 55 games played and has a team-best 1.38 ERA in eight starts on the mound.

The last time a Husker started at least eight games on the mound and hit in 40 more games was Alvie Shepherd in 1994. That season Shepherd went 2-5 with a 5.71 in 11 starts, while hitting .278 in 57 games at the plate. In 1993, Troy Brohawn went 13-0 with a 3.16 ERA in 14 starts and hit .329 over 58 games at the plate. Brohawn was a first-team All-American in 1993, was drafted in the fourth round of the 1994 MLB Draft by the Giants and played three seasons in the Majors.

Meyers started on the mound for the Huskers in their finale of the final six weekend series of the regular season and NU won each of the sophomore's last five starts. In the five victories, Meyers also hit third in NU's lineup and helped his own cause, hitting .286 with two doubles, one home run, seven runs scored and four RBIs.

In a victory over Nicholls State on April 24, Meyers not only tossed 7.0 shutout innings and got the win on the mound, but he also drove in the eventual game-winning run with a three-run homer. Meyers is the first Husker to homer and record a pitching win since April 21, 2009, when Adam Bailey hit a solo home run and tossed 2.2 innings of relief in his only pitching win as a Husker.

Score Early
In 57 games this year the Huskers have scored a run in the first inning 20 times. The Huskers are 17-3 on the year when they score a run in the first inning.

The Huskers are 31-8 this year when they score first in the game.

Longball
Nebraska's home run total is up in a big way this year, as they have hit 43 in 57 games after totaling 22 in 57 games last season. NU last topped 40 home runs in a season in 2012, when they hit 47. Nebraska last topped 50 home runs in a season in 2010 when they hits 60.

Nine different players have hit a home run this season, including a team-high 16 from Scott Schreiber, six each from Jake Placzek and Ben Millers, and five from Ryan Boldt. Miller and Tanner Lubach tied for the team lead last season with four each.

Nebraska has 15 multi-homer games this season after notching two all of last year. Nebraska is 22-5 on the year when they hit a home run.

Walk this Way
As of Monday morning, senior Jake Placzek was tied for eighth in Division I with 53 walks. Ohio State's Troy Montgomery ranked second in the Big Ten and was tied for 22nd nationally with 48 walks. Miami's Zack Collins and Mercer's Kyle Lewis shared the national lead with 66 walks each.

The last time a Husker topped 50 walks in a season was 2005, when Alex Gordon recorded 63 walks and was hit-by-pitch 16 times.

Adding in his 10 hit-by-pitches, Placzek has drawn 63 free passes this year and leads the Huskers with an on-base percentage of .461. Placzek would need to record a on-base percentage of .518 or better to crack NU's single-season top-10 list. Gordon's .518 on-base percentage in 2005 ranks 10th.

Placzek has accounted for just under 27% of NU's 202 walks this year. Seven other Huskers have drawn double digit walks in 2016, but Jake Meyers sits a distance second with 20 walks.

Placzek has drawn multiple walks in 15 games entering Friday, including three walks in a game five times this year.

Placzek needs nine more walks this year to tie Todd Sears (62 - 1997) for 10th place on NU's single season walks list. Placzek has 109 career walks and needs six more walks in 2016 to enter NU's career walks list. Rich King and Steve Stanicek are tied for 10th with 115 career walks.

Double Digits
Nebraska has amassed double digit hits 27 times in 57 games entering Friday, including a season-high 22 hits at Creighton on May 17. Nebraska is 21-6 when reaching the mark.

Last season the Huskers totaled 10 or more hits 23 times in 57 games and was 21-2 in those games.

Stolen Bases
Nebraska has been more active on the base paths this season, stealing 62 bases in 57 games, an average of 1.11 per game.

Ryan Boldt leads the team with 20 steals, the most by a Husker since 2005 when Alex Gordon stole 23 bags.

Last year the Huskers totaled 40 stolen bases in 57 games, an average of 0.7 stolen bases per game. Nebraska last topped 60 stolen bases in a season in 2011 when they were 62-for-81. NU last topped 70 stolen bases in 2008 when it was 78-for-104.

Home Sweet Hawks
The Nebraska baseball team celebrated its 15th season at Hawks Field in 2016. Since playing their first game at the park in 2002, the Huskers have posted a 322-116-1 (.735) record at the facility, including a 21-6 (.750) record this season.

The Huskers notched a .778 winning percentage at home last year, the highest home winning percentage since 2008 when Nebraska posted a .843 winning percentage with a 29-5-1 record.

Nebraska has won 60% or more of its home games 13 times in the past 15 seasons, including each of the past seven seasons. NU's worst home season at Hawks Field came in 2009 when the Huskers posted a 16-14 record (.533).