Lincoln – Following an extra-inning win at Kansas State on Tuesday night, the No. 23 Nebraska baseball team (24-10, 3-3 Big Ten) gets back to Big Ten Conference action this weekend when it hosts the Minnesota Golden Gophers (11-17, 2-7 Big Ten) for a three-game series at Hawks Field.
The series is scheduled to open on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. and the game will be carried nationally on the Big Ten Network. Due to the Nebraska Football Spring Game on Saturday, the Huskers and Gophers will meet at 6:05 p.m. on Saturday night, before wrapping up the series on Sunday at 1:05 p.m.
Nebraska is 15-1 at Hawks Field this season and has outscored the opposition 92-34. At Hawks Field in 2015, NU’s pitching staff has notched 122 strikeouts compared to 34 walks.
The Gophers enter the series with a 8-15 record away from Siebert Field, including a 7-14 road record. This weekend will be the Gophers third league road series of the year and they are 1-5 on the road in league play, with the lone win coming last weekend at Rutgers.
The Huskers are set to start senior Chance Sinclair on Friday night and he will look to add to his 7-1 career record during Big Ten Play. The third-team preseason All-American has gone at least 6.0 innings in three of his last four starts. Minnesota is scheduled to start right-handed senior Ben Meyer, who is 1-4 on the year with a 5.65 ERA in eight starts. Meyer started the series finale last year against the Huskers in Minneapolis and went 6.2 innings in a no decision. The New Brighton, Minn., native allowed two runs on nine hits and one walk, while striking out four.
Senior Kyle Kubat will climb the hill on Saturday and will be in search of 20th career victory. Kubat is coming off a 4.2 innings outing at Maryland, where he gave up a career-high six runs. Kubat had gone at least 7.0 innings in five of his last six starts heading into last Saturday. The Gophers have not announced a starter for Saturday.
Sophomore Derek Burkamper will look to pick up his fifth win of the season on Sunday after taking a no decision last weekend in Maryland. Burkamper is 4-1 on the year with a 3.14 ERA over 43.0 innings. The Gophers announced that 6-7 sophomore Tim Shannon will start on Sunday. The Hopkins, Minn., native is 1-3 on the year with a 5.82 ERA in seven appearances, including six starts. In three starts during Big Ten play, Shannon is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA over 13 innings.
Friday, April 10 (7:05 p.m.)
Probable Starters: RHP Sinclair (4-4) vs. RHP Meyer (1-4)
TV: BTN
Audio Stream: Huskers.com | Video Stream: BTN2Go
Radio: Husker Sports Network
Saturday, April 11 (6:05 p.m.)
Probable Starters: LHP Kubat (4-1) vs. TBA
TV: None
Audio Stream: Huskers.com | Video Stream: HuskersNSide
Radio: Husker Sports Network
Sunday, April 12 (1:05 p.m.)
Probable Starters: RHP Burkamper (4-1) vs. RHP Shannon (1-3)
TV: None
Audio Stream: Huskers.com | Video Stream: BTN Plus
Radio: Husker Sports Network