Fresh off a pair of wins against Northern Colorado, the Nebraska baseball team (9-6, 0-0 Big Ten) continues its 16-game homestand with a three-game series against the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (8-9-1, 0-0 Atlantic Sun) that starts on Friday afternoon.
Friday’s series opener is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. and will be the first-ever meeting between the two teams. They are scheduled to meet on Saturday at 2:05 p.m., before wrapping up the series on Sunday at 1:05 p.m.
The Eagles have yet to play a game outside of the state of Florida this season. They have played 16 of their 18 games at home, while their two road games were in Tampa and Miami.
After opening the season with a win at UNLV, senior Chance Sinclair has dropped his last three starts and will look to break the streak in Friday’s opener. Sinclair, who was 9-1 last season, will match up against junior right-hander Mike Murray, who is 1-2 on the year after posting a 13-1 record last season. The 6-3 Murray was the Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Year in 2014, and was also named a second-team All-American by Louisville Slugger as well as a third-team All-American by both the NCBWA and ABCA. He has gone at least 7.0 innings in each of his last three starts, including 8.0 innings in a loss to Minnesota on Feb. 27.
Senior Kyle Kubat is scheduled to start Saturday for the Huskers and is 2-0 on the year, including wins in each of his past two starts. The Eagles are scheduled to start a left-handed pitcher also in freshman Devin Smeltzer. A native of Voorhees, N.J., Smeltzer is 1-1 on the year in four starts and has given up at least three runs in every start.
Sophomore Derek Burkamper is set to climb the hill for the Huskers in Sunday’s finale. Burkamper is coming off a loss to LSU where he struggled early, but allowed just four base runners and two hits over his final five innings of work. The Eagles have not yet announced a starting pitcher for Sunday.
Friday, March 13 (4:05 p.m.)
Probable Starters: RHP Sinclair (1-3) vs. RHP Murray (1-2)
TV: None
Audio Stream: Huskers.com | Video Stream: HuskersNSide
Radio: Husker Sports Network
Saturday, March 14 (2:05 p.m.)
Probable Starters: LHP Kubat (2-0) vs. LHP Smeltzer (1-1)
TV: None
Audio Stream: Huskers.com | Video Stream: BTN Plus
Radio: Husker Sports Network
Sunday, March 15 (1:05 p.m.)
Probable Starters: RHP Burkamper (1-1) vs. TBA
TV: None
Audio Stream: Huskers.com | Video Stream: BTN Plus
Radio: Husker Sports Network