NU BSB: Huskers Host Maryland for Big Ten Home Opener

Lincoln – After opening Big Ten play last weekend with a 2-0-1 series victory at Indiana, the Nebraska baseball team (17-10-1, 2-0-1 Big Ten) hosts its conference home opener this weekend against the #24 Maryland Terrapins (19-8, 5-1 Big Ten) at Hawks Field.

This weekend’s series will be just the second series between the two teams as conference foes. The Huskers joined the Big Ten in 2012 and the Terrapins made their entrance in 2015.

The Huskers traveled to College Park, Md., in 2015 for a three-game series and were swept by the Terrapins. That series two years ago is the only time the teams have ever met.

Nebraska enters the series with and 8-1-1 record over its last 10 games and has won seven of its last eight games. The Huskers are 8-2 at home this year and enter Friday winners of six straight games at Hawks Field. Nebraska has won four straight Big Ten series at home, with the last loss coming at the end of the 2015 season when Purdue took the final two games of a three-game series after the Huskers won the opener.

The Terrapins are 8-2 over their last 10 games, including four straight wins coming into Friday’s series opener. Maryland has jumped out to a 5-1 start in Big Ten play, as they opened the conference season at home and took 2-of-3 from Michigan before sweeping a three-game series at Rutgers last weekend. The Terrapins have been nearly perfect at home, posting an 11-1 record, but are 8-7 away from Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium, including a 4-5 record in true road games. Maryland’s lone home loss this season came in the series finale against the Wolverines.

How to Listen/Watch the Huskers

Fans can listen to Greg Sharpe, Ben McLaughlin and Nick Handley call all the action this season on the Husker Sports Network. Every game this season can be heard on Huskers.com and the Official Nebraska Huskers App for both iOS and android devices.

All three games this weekend against Maryland will be carried on 1400 AM in Lincoln and also on 590 AM in Omaha. Fans can also listen on TuneIn.com or the TuneIn App on the Husker IMG Sports Network channel.

Friday’s series opener will be carried statewide on NET and also streamed live on BTN Plus. Saturday’s game will be carried nationwide on the Big Ten Network and streamed live on BTN2Go. Sunday’s game will be streamed live on BTN Plus (subscription required).

Husker open Big Ten Play on Right Note

Nebraska opened Big Ten play last weekend at Indiana and took the three-game series 2-0-1. The Huskers were in position to sweep on Sunday, but due to a travel curfew the two teams settled for a 1-1 tie after the 11th inning.

Nebraska’s series win at Indiana marked just the third time the Hoosiers have lost a conference series at home since they moved into Bart Kaufman Field in 2013. The Hoosiers have never been swept at home during Big Ten play at Bart Kaufman.

The Huskers are now 5-1 in Big Ten series openers since joining the league in 2012. The only time Nebraska didn’t open league play with a series victory was in 2014 when the Huskers lost 2-of-3 on the road at Iowa.

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 last season at Rutgers on Friday, April 29, the Huskers had won 73 straight games when leading after the eighth inning. Since the loss at Rutgers, the Huskers have won 28 straight games when leading after eight innings.

Led by pitching coach Ted Silva, the Huskers are 152-17 since the start of the 2012 season when they lead after the sixth inning. The Huskers are 159-10 when leading after seven innings and are nearly perfect when leading after eight innings with a 170-5 record.

Angelo’s Arrival

After making a pair of starts last season as a true freshman, Angelo Altavilla has become a key contributor in 2017. The sophomore infielder leads the teams with a .344 average, has a team-high nine doubles and ranks second on the team in RBIs with 18.

Altavilla has started 26 of NU’s 28 games, and has shown versatility in the field with 17 starts at shortstop, seven at third base and two at second base.

Double Digits

Nebraska has totaled 10 or more hits 13 times in 28 games entering Friday. Nebraska is 11-2 on the year when notching double-digit hits, the only losses came in a 7-5 defeat to Utah on Feb. 24 and a 8-6 loss at CSU Bakersfield on March 21.

The Huskers produced a season-high 19 hits against Creighton on Tuesday, April 4.

Last season the Huskers totaled 10 or more hits 27 times in 59 games and were 21-6 in those games.

Home Sweet Hawks

The Nebraska baseball program is celebrating its 16th year at Hawks Field.

Following NU’s win over Creighton on Tuesday the Huskers are 330-117-1 (.738) since opening the park on March 5, 2002 with a 23-1 win over Nebraska-Kearney.

Since Head Coach Darin Erstad took over in 2012, the Huskers are 101-39 (.721) at Hawks Field.

The Huskers have posted a winning home record in each of the last 15 seasons. Nebraska has won 60% or more of its home games 13 times over 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).

Huskers in MLB

A total of 13 former Huskers are part of a Major League organization, including five that are currently at the MLB level.

MLB

Cody Asche – White Sox

Brian Duensing – Cubs (DL)

Alex Gordon – Royals

Dan Jennings – White Sox

Tony Watson – Pirates

Minor Leagues

Ryan Boldt – Rays

Aaron Bummer – White Sox

Christian Cox – Bluejays

Kyle Kubat – White Sox

Michael Mariot – Phillies

Steven Reveles – Red Sox

Josh Roeder – Yankees

Thad Weber – Detroit Tigers

Seeing Double

Sophomore twin brothers Matt and Mike Waldron have played in the same game at Nebraska five times, including four times this season. Last Tuesday night against Kansas State Matt started on the mound and Mike started at third base, it was the third time both brothers have been in the starting lineup of the same game.

Last year they played in the same game once. At Michigan State on May 8, Matt started against the Spartans and went 6.0 innings, while Mike was NU’s designated hitter, his first career start.

The last time the Huskers had a twin brothers on the team was 1994, when Glendale, Ariz., natives Jeff and John Strasser were freshmen. Jeff made 16 appearances on the mound, including nine starts, while John played the field in 25 games, including 12 starts.

Turn the Power On

Through the first 22 games of the year the Huskers hit just three home runs and didn’t have a multi-home run game. The power numbers are starting to climb though, as the Huskers enter their series against Maryland with six home runs over the last six games and have produced two multi-home run games.

Last season the Huskers saw a spike in home runs with 43 on the year, which was more than the 41 they totaled in 2014 (19) and 2015 (22) combined.

How High Can He Climb

Ben Miller was taken in the 32nd round of the 2016 MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates, but turned down professional baseball to instead return to Nebraska for his senior season. The Clive, Iowa, native now has a chance to cement his name near the top of Nebraska’s all-time hits list.

Miller enters Friday with 194 hits, putting him six hits shy of becoming the 25th member of Nebraska’s 200-hit club. Over the past two seasons Miller has averaged 68.5 hits and with that average he would end his career just outside of NU’s all-time top 10.

If Miller can match his 77 hits from last season, he would tie Michael Pritchard for fifth all-time at Nebraska with 251 hits.

The Huskers have had at least one player join the 200 hit club in each of the past four seasons, including 2016 second-round pick Ryan Boldt last year.

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 2014-2016

21. 222 John Cole 1999-01

22. 212 Pat Kelly 2012-14

23. 203 Ken Harvey 1997-99

24. 201 Francis Collins 1995-97

— 194 Ben Miller 2014-Present

Leave it to Luensmann

Chad Luensmann had a tough task last season as a true freshman, he had to replace career saves holder Josh Roeder as NU’s closer. Luensmann went on to save 13 games in 14 chances, a NU freshman record, and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, becoming the first Husker baseball player to win the award.

Luensmann’s 13 saves tied Brett Jensen (2006) for third place in NU’s single-season record book and Luensmann ranked fourth nationally in saves. Among freshmen, Luensmann tied Long Beach State’s Chris Rivera for the most saves in the country.

Luensmann has a team-high five saves this season, including his 15th career save on Sunday, March 5, when the Huskers shut out previously unbeaten Arizona, 1-0. Against the Wildcats Luensmann matched a career high with 4.0 innings on the mound and struck out a career-high four batters.

Luensmann enters Friday ranked third all time at Nebraska with 18 career saves. Luensmann needs 13 more saves to tie Jensen for second place on the all-time list.

Career Saves at Nebraska

1. 33 Josh Roeder 2012-15

2. 31 Brett Jensen 2004-06

3. 18 Chad Luensmann 2016-Present

4. 17 Thom Ott 2000-01

5. 14 Steve Boyd 1992-93

6. 13 Casey Hauptman 2008-11

7. 11 Dylan Vogt 2010-13

11 Dave Matranga 1990-91

11 Gary Nolting 1977-79

10. 10 Mike Bellows 1994