HuskerOnline – Baseball Weekend Preview: Minnesota

The Nebraska baseball (7-4) team will finally head home to Haymarket Park where they will play a four-game series against Minnesota (3-8). After more than a year of no Husker baseball at Hawks Field, the Big Red will be looking to bring home momentum after last weekend’s 2-1 series win over Iowa.

The series against the Hawkeyes started out slow for NU as they lost Friday’s matchup 3-0 with just three hits and got shut out for the first time this season. A flip switched on Saturday and the bats were hot for the rest of the weekend. In the second game of the series, Nebraska racked up 13 hits in their 10-8 win over Iowa. On Sunday the offense kept rolling and the Huskers had 11 hits in the 13-8 series clinching win.

Before last weekend’s series against the Hawkeyes, NU played a four-game series in Minnesota where they played Iowa twice and Ohio State twice. The Big Red split games against both teams, so Nebraska won the season series against the Hawkeyes 3-2. The Huskers will finish out he season series against the Buckeyes in late May when they play twice.

The Golden Gophers are coming off a 2-1 series loss to Northwestern. Minnesota lost the first game 4-3 and the second 10-3. They picked up a 7-3 win in the third game to finish out the series.

Friday, 2:00 p.m.: LHP Cade Povich (1-1, 5.40 ERA) vs. RHP Sam Ireland (0-1, 2.89 ERA)

Saturday, 12:00 p.m. (7 innings): RHP Chance Hroch (2-0, 3.86 ERA) vs. LHP Jack Liffrig (1-1, 6.32 ERA)

Saturday, 45 minutes after end of previous game: LHP Jake Bunz (0-1, 3.38 ERA) vs. RHP Patrick Fredrickson (0-0, 3.00 ERA)

Sunday, 12:00 p.m.: RHP Shay Schanaman (1-0, 5.54 ERA) vs. RHP Trent Schoeberl (0-0, 6.75 ERA)

Use of the bullpen

NU has used their bullpen in 42.1 innings this season and they have a combined ERA of 2.55. The bullpen has struck out 43 batters and walked just 18. They will look to use this to get the edge over Minnesota who have used their bullpen in 43.1 innings. The Golden Gopher bullpen has a combined ERA of 3.95 with 49 strikeouts. Whichever team is more efficient with the bullpen will likely leave this weekend the happier team.

Return to Hawks Field

The Big Red will return home to Haymarket Park for the first time in over a year, and so will fans. The Big Ten announced on Wednesday that they will allow for schools to work with local health officials in order to safely have fans at games. Being back at home is going to feel great for the players, but it will feel even better with Husker fans in the stands.

Player of the week Chick

After a slow start to the season, Cam Chick broke out last weekend going 4-8 in just the final two games. Those four hits brought in nine runs which included a grand-slam home run, a two-run home run and two doubles. Chick entered the week hitting .174 and has now worked his way back to .250. This performance earned Chick the tittle of Big Ten Baseball Player of the Week.

***Junior Zack Raabe leads Minnesota from the plate and is second in the Big Ten with a batting average of .484 (15-31).

***They are coming off a 2-1 series loss to Northwestern. They won the final game 7-3 after losing the first 4-3 and the second 10-3.

***The Golden Gophers have not won a series this year, but haven’t been swept in any of the three weekend series’.

***Sophomore Sam Ireland leads Minnesota pitching with a 2.89 ERA and has the most innings pitched with 18.2. He also has the most strikeouts with 19. Ireland plays first base as well and is hitting .207.

***Nebraska leads the all time series 30-29-1. Since joining the Big Ten, NU hold a bigger lead at 17-7.