Maryland Series Preview, Plus Huskers Softball Historic Numbers And Milestones

Nebraska baseball is stuck in the mud with a 3-6 record after having cracked the national Top 25 rankings. Husker softball is hoping to build an NCAA Tournament résumé worthy of an at-large bid.

Both teams are gearing up for a big-time three-game series – Will Bolt’s club welcoming in Maryland to Lincoln; Rhonda Revelle’s crew set to hit the road to face Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Below is a preview of what’s on tap for Nebraska and Maryland with the starting pitching matchups, the most important stats to know, key players to watch during the series and more. Also, we provide below a rundown of some of Husker softball’s most eye-popping numbers and historic milestones that have either already been achieved or are on the precipice of being broken.

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RECORDS: Nebraska – 23-11, 6-3 Big Ten; Maryland – 24-14, 5-7 Big Ten

WHEN: Friday-Sunday (April 19-21)

WHERE: Hawks Field at Haymarket Park (Lincoln, Neb.)

WATCH: • All three games of this weekend’s series can be seen on B1G+, while Saturday’s game will be broadcast on Nebraska Public Media, with Larry Punteney and Brian Duensing on the call.

LISTEN: Huskers Radio Network with Dave Gustaf (play by play) and Ben McLaughlin (color) on the call for the full weekend.

>> Every game this season can be heard for free on Huskers.com and the Official Nebraska Huskers App for both iOS and android devices.

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Friday, April 19 – 6:05 p.m. CT

RHP Brett Sears (6-0, 1.32 ERA) vs. RHP Logan Koester (4-4, 5.83 ERA)

Saturday, April 20 – 2:02 p.m. CT

RHP Mason McConnaughey (4-2, 2.29 ERA) vs. TBD

Sunday, April 21 – 12:05 p.m. CT

TBD vs. RHP Joey McMannis (0-0, 3.41 ERA)

*All times Central

NOTES:

>> Sunday’s game time has moved to 12:05 p.m. due to Maryland’s travel arrangements.

>> Brett Sears (1.32) and Mason McConnaughey (2.29) ranked first and second in the Big Ten this season in ERA, as the duo has combined for 105 strikeouts in 96.2 innings of work.

>> Nebraska is one of eight teams to hold the top two individual positions in its conference leaders for ERA, joining ECU (AAC), Bryant (America East), Georgetown (Big East), Presbyterian (Big South), William & Mary (CAA), Milwaukee (Horizon) and California Baptist (WAC).

>> McConnaughey was named the Big Ten’s Pitcher of the Week, the league office announced Monday afternoon.

>> McConnaughey moved to 4-2 on the season after shutting out the Big Ten’s top offense across seven innings. The sophomore matched his career high with nine strikeouts and worked around six singles, allowing just one Rutgers baserunner to reach third base.

>> With the seven shutout innings, McConnaughey picked up his second quality start of the season. It also marked Nebraska’s second consecutive weekly accolade after Brett Sears earned recognition last week.

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>> Through 18 all-time meetings, the Terrapins hold an 11-7 advantage over the Huskers in the all-time series.

>> Nebraska went 1-4 against Maryland last season after picking up one win in a weekend series in College Park and dropping a pair of games to the Terrapins in the Big Ten Tournament.

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All game notes courtesy of Nebraska Athletics

Caron named to Buster Posey Award Watch List

>> Nebraska catcher Josh Caron was named to the Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award Watch List, the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission announced Thursday afternoon.

>> Caron is hitting .308 at the plate for the Huskers with eight doubles, a triple, seven home runs and 40 RBI.

>> The junior has hits in 15 of his last 16 games and leads NU with a dozen multi-hit performances this season.

>> Caron is one of five catchers nationally this season with a .300-plus batting average and at least 15 extra-base hits and 40 RBI through April 17.

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Carey, Columbus heating up

>> Dylan Carey and Ben Columbus have seen their offensive production begin to take shape since Big Ten play began, specifically in the last 10 games.

>> Carey began the season with a .244 hitting clip with a team-leading nine doubles and a home run with 11 RBI. In the Huskers’ last 10 games, the sophomore has been hitting .300 (12-for-40) with a pair of doubles and three homers.

>> After just five hits in Nebraska’s first 24 games this season, Columbus went 7-for-16 (.438) with a double, two home runs and eight RBI in NU’s last 10 games. The double and two homers are Columbus’ three extra-base hits on the season and his first two career homers with the Big Red.

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Sanderson a versatile piece in NU lineup

>> Freshman Case Sanderson is hitting .365 at the plate and has found success throughout the lineup for the Huskers, appearing in six different spots in the lineup for the NU offense.

>> The freshman is 28th nationally with a .518 on-base percentage and has totaled a triple, two homers, 13 RBI and 15 runs scored this season.

>> The freshman has hit .333 or better in five of the six spots he’s appeared in this season, while seeing most of his action in the leadoff spot with 18 at-bats.

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Silva in same company as Alex Gordon

>> Riley Silva has posted a .421 on-base percentage for Nebraska this season and is the only Husker to score 30-plus runs (31) this season.

>> The Cambridge, Ontario, native has started 33 of the 34 games this season and has posted a 1.000 fielding percentage (84-for-84) in center field for the Huskers.

>> Silva is one of eight DI players to steal 21- plus bases and be caught two-or-fewer times, including the only Power Five player this season.

>> The junior is the 10th NU player since 2000 to swipe at least 20 bases, including the first Husker with more than 20 stolen bases in a season since Alex Gordon in 2005.

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Top bats in Husker lineup

>> Cayden Brumbaugh is hitting .326 in the leadoff spot with nine extra-base hits and 11 RBI, posting knocks in nine of his last 13 games.

>> Cole Evans is hitting .277 with six doubles, three home runs, and 30 RBI across 34 games, including 29 starts, while Rhett Stokes holds a .318 batting average with eight doubles and 10 RBI.

>> Silva leads the Huskers with 31 runs in 33 games and is 21-for-23 on stolen base attempts.

>> Carey has hits in his last five games and leads the Big Red with 11 doubles, while Columbus is batting .308 with two home runs, a double and 13 RBI.

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Bullpen Breakdown

>> Casey Daiss has a team-high four saves with a 1.93 ERA for the Huskers across 14 innings of work. Daiss has allowed just one earned run over his last nine appearances dating back to the first weekend of the season vs. Oklahoma.

>> Jalen Worthley is 2-0 with a pair of saves across a bullpen-high 18.1 innings, making a team-high six multi-inning relief appearances for NU.

>> Kyle Perry’s 16 relief appearances lead all NU relievers, as the senior is 1-1 with a career-high tying three saves. Rans Sanders has a 3.18 ERA across 11.1 innings, and his 14 appearances rank as the second most for the Huskers.

>> Evan Borst is limiting opponents to a .125 batting average (4-for-32) this season, while posting 11 strikeouts over 9.2 innings of work.

>> Kyle Froehlich has appeared in eight games for the Huskers, punching out seven batters across 8.1 innings, while Tucker Timmerman leads all Nebraska freshman with 13 relief appearances.

Nebraska (25-16, 8-3) is third in the Big Ten with a big-time road series ahead this weekend against Michigan (30-14, 11-3), the league’s second-place team, as both seek to strengthen their résumés for a potential NCAA Tournament at-large berth. Both the Huskers (No. 44) and Wolverines (No. 50) are in the top 50 of the NCAA RPI and each school has claimed its highest RPI ranking of the season this week.

Game 1 on Friday will be broadcast live on FS1 and the Fox Sports app. Games 2 and 3 on Saturday and Sunday are available to stream on B1G+ and as always all three can be heard live on Huskers Radio Network.

>> Six of Nebraska’s 24 players (25 percent of the roster) are out for the season with an injury.

>> A total of 12 Huskers have missed at least one game due to injury this season.

>> Nebraska is averaging 6.1 runs per game this season. Only twice in program history (2015 and 2022) has a Husker team averaged 6.0 runs per game.

>> Nebraska has won four games when trailing after six innings this season, its most such wins in a season this century.

>> The Huskers are 4-10 when trailing after six innings this season. They were 3-74 in such games over the previous five seasons.

>> Nebraska has trailed in 15 of its 25 wins, including nine times when it came back from a multi-run deficit.

>> Billie Andrews is two home runs shy of becoming the sixth player in Big Ten history with 60 career home runs.

>> Kaylin Kinney is one of only six pitchers nationally with at least 15 wins and four saves this season.

>> With a .300 average that currently ranks seventh in school history, NU is looking to post a .300 batting average for the third straight season and for the seventh time in program history.

Kaylin Kinney:

>> Kinney has pitched in 31 of Nebraska’s 41 games (76 percent), ranking 15th nationally in appearances. Kinney has pitched in 13 of Nebraska’s last 14 games and in 10 of the Huskers’ 11 Big Ten Conference games. She has started 14 games and thrown 122.2 innings this season after combining for 14 starts and 114.1 innings in her first three seasons.

>> Kinney is 15-10 this season with four saves. She has earned either the win of the save in 19 of Nebraska’s 25 victories. Kinney has been involved in the decision in 12 of Nebraska’s last 14 games, posting a 7-2 record with three saves during that stretch.

>> Kinney ranks 25th nationally in wins and 31st in saves. She is one of only six Division I pitchers with at least 15 wins and four saves this season.

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Billie Andrews:

>> Andrews ranks 10th nationally in home runs per game (0.4) with 15 homers in 37 games. She is Nebraska’s all-time home run leader with 58 career homers.

>> She hit the record-breaking 55th home run of her career against Illinois on March 22. Nebraska’s previous home run record was 54, set by Taylor Edwards (2011-14).

>> Andrews has also tied another home run record. She has seven games with multiple homers in her career, tying Tristen Edwards (2017-21) for the most multi-homer games in NU history.

>> She has 15 home runs this season. She is the first Husker to hit 15 or more home runs in three different seasons and just the second to have two 15-homer seasons.

>> Andrews ranks 13th among all active Division I players with 58 career home runs.

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Billie and the Big Ten:

>> Andrews has joined Jennifer Lizama as the only players in program history to hit 40 career home runs and steal 40 career bases. With three more stolen bases, Andrews would become the first Husker with 50 career home runs and 50 career stolen bases.

>> Nationally, there are only nine active Division I players with 40 career home runs and 40 career stolen bases. Of those nine, Andrews is one of only four players who has played her entire career in a power conference.

>> Her production at the plate is leaving its mark in the Big Ten record book. Andrews already finds herself on the Big Ten’s all-time home runs list and she is also looking for a place on the Big Ten’s career slugging percentage top 10.

>> Andrews’ 58 career home runs rank sixth in Big Ten history. Andrews is on pace to finish her career with 63 home runs, a total that would rank fourth in Big Ten history.

>> Her .683 career slugging percentage currently ranks 10th in Big Ten history.

>> Andrews is on pace to hit 20 home runs this season. Andrews is bidding to become just the third player in Big Ten history with two 20-home run seasons. The only two Big Ten players with two 20-home run seasons are Michigan’s Sierra Romero and Samantha Findlay.