Game Notes / Live Stats / Live Audio / Gameday Central
Live Video: Friday-Saturday on BTN2Go / Sunday on ESPN
WEEKEND SERIES INFORMATION
Purdue (10-17, 4-1 B1G) at Nebraska (14-9, 4-2 B1G)
Friday, April 5 to Sunday, April 7 at 7:30 p.m., 3 p.m. and 1 p.m. ET
Games 1 and 2: BTN Plus on BTN2Go / Game 3: ESPNU
Hawks Field at Haymarket Park / Lincoln, Nebraska
All-Time Series: Nebraska leads 12-9 / All-Time in Lincoln: Purdue leads 4-2
Last Meeting: Nebraska 15, Purdue 9 (2017 Big Ten Tournament in Bloomington)
Last Series: Nebraska swept a 3-game set (March 2016 in West Lafayette)
Last Series in Lincoln: Purdue won 2 of 3 (May 2015)
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday: Patrick J. Smith (Sr, LHP) vs. NEB's Matt Waldron (Sr, RHP)
Saturday: Andrew Bohm (R-So, RHP) vs. NEB's Nate Fisher (Sr, LHP)
Sunday: Ryan Beard (Sr, LHP) vs. Reece Eddins (Sr, RHP)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A pair of teams enjoying strong starts in conference play square off this weekend in the Big Ten's western outpost as Purdue baseball pays its first visit to the University of Nebraska since May 2015.
First pitch at Haymarket Park is slated for 7:30 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday (all times ET). The series finale will be nationally televised live by ESPNU. It's the first of three TV games for the Boilermakers over a 10-day stretch. FS1 is televising upcoming midweek games at Indiana (April 10) and vs. Butler (April 16).
Purdue's series victory at Minnesota the final weekend of the 2017 regular season helped the Huskers win their first Big Ten title. Those victories in Minneapolis also sent the Boilermakers back to the Big Ten Tournament for the first time since 2012. They were matched up with Nebraska in the opening round. The Huskers' win that day in Bloomington marked the only meeting between the teams in the last two years. Skyler Hunter, Bryce Bonner and Milo Beam are the only active Boilermakers who saw action in that game.
Purdue has played 166 regular-season games vs. 44 different teams since its last series with Nebraska in March 2016. Since the Huskers joined the Big Ten in 2012, the road team has won each of the first four Purdue-Nebraska series. The Boilermakers won two of three in Lincoln in 2012 and 2015. The Huskers swept series at Alexander Field in 2013 and 2016.
Including its three victories at the 2018 Big Ten Tournament at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha, Purdue is 7-3 in the state of Nebraska since the Big Ten's first round of expansion brought the Huskers into the league for the 2011-12 school year.
The Boilermakers were also scheduled to visit the state of Nebraska a month ago for a weekend series at Creighton (March 8-10). But that series was canceled due the lingering effects of a late-February blizzard. That same weekend, Nebraska had to move its home series against Baylor to Waco. The Huskers still managed to win two of three. But their three-game home set the following weekend against New Mexico State was canceled due to the same weather issues.
Nebraska has won eight of 10 since the NMSU series was canceled, including a 5-0 start at home. The Huskers swept Michigan State to open league play two weekends ago. They also played preseason favorite Minnesota tough last weekend in Minneapolis, but ultimately lost two of three.
The Boilermakers are a half-game ahead of Nebraska in the standings after winning four of five against Northwestern and Penn State to begin league play. Another series win this weekend in Lincoln would keep Purdue on pace with its 2012 Big Ten championship team as the last to win the first three series of Big Ten play.
Wednesday's game against Indiana State marked the start of a challenging two-week stretch to begin April. The Boilermakers' first five opponents this month – Indiana State (22-4), Nebraska (14-9), Indiana (17-11), Iowa (16-11) and Butler (16-10) – are a combined 85-45 (.654) entering the weekend.
SENIORS AND STRIKEOUTS
• Of the six probable starting pitchers slated to take the ball this weekend, Purdue's Andrew Bohm is the only non-senior. Nebraska's senior trio of Matt Waldron, Nate Fisher and Reece Eddins make opposing hitters earn their way on base. They've only issued a combined 12 walks in 95 1/3 innings this season. They have a collective WHIP of 0.95.
• Conversely, how much of a factor will the strikeout be this weekend? At the plate, the Huskers average 9.65 strikeouts per game. On the mound, Purdue averages 9.21 strikeouts per nine innings. Both marks rank second in the Big Ten. Nebraska does take its fair share of walks. The Huskers draw a league-high 5.5 walks per game and also lead the conference with a .384 team on-base percentage. Walks were an issue for the Boilermakers over the first two weekends of the year, but they have a 3.36 strikeout-to-walk ratio over the last 16 games.
STREAKING BOILERMAKERS
• Nick Evarts' 8-Game Hit Streak: .414 (12-for-29), 2B, 6 RBI, 3 R, .485 OBP
• Owen Jansen's 9-Game Reached Base Safely Streak: .348 (8-for-23), 4 2B, 2 RBI, .483 OBP
• Skyler Hunter's 22-Game B1G Reached Base Safely Streak: .337 (29-for-86), 10 XBH, HR, 16 RBI, 20 R, .420 OBP
• Ryan Howe's 3 Consecutive Multi-Hit Games: 7-for-11, 3B, RBI, Sac Bunt
• Patrick J. Smith's 3 Straight Wins: 18 1/3 IP, 11 H, 3 R, 8 BB, 24 K, 1.47 ERA, .172 B/Avg.
• Bo Hofstra's 7 Consecutive Scoreless Appearances: Win, 3 Saves, 9 2/3 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 13 K, .125 B/Avg.
• Zac Fascia's 74 Consecutive Innings Behind the Plate: 1.34 catcher's ERA; pitching staff has 82 strikeouts
Live Video: Friday-Saturday on BTN2Go / Sunday on ESPN
WEEKEND SERIES INFORMATION
Purdue (10-17, 4-1 B1G) at Nebraska (14-9, 4-2 B1G)
Friday, April 5 to Sunday, April 7 at 7:30 p.m., 3 p.m. and 1 p.m. ET
Games 1 and 2: BTN Plus on BTN2Go / Game 3: ESPNU
Hawks Field at Haymarket Park / Lincoln, Nebraska
All-Time Series: Nebraska leads 12-9 / All-Time in Lincoln: Purdue leads 4-2
Last Meeting: Nebraska 15, Purdue 9 (2017 Big Ten Tournament in Bloomington)
Last Series: Nebraska swept a 3-game set (March 2016 in West Lafayette)
Last Series in Lincoln: Purdue won 2 of 3 (May 2015)
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday: Patrick J. Smith (Sr, LHP) vs. NEB's Matt Waldron (Sr, RHP)
Saturday: Andrew Bohm (R-So, RHP) vs. NEB's Nate Fisher (Sr, LHP)
Sunday: Ryan Beard (Sr, LHP) vs. Reece Eddins (Sr, RHP)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A pair of teams enjoying strong starts in conference play square off this weekend in the Big Ten's western outpost as Purdue baseball pays its first visit to the University of Nebraska since May 2015.
First pitch at Haymarket Park is slated for 7:30 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday (all times ET). The series finale will be nationally televised live by ESPNU. It's the first of three TV games for the Boilermakers over a 10-day stretch. FS1 is televising upcoming midweek games at Indiana (April 10) and vs. Butler (April 16).
Purdue's series victory at Minnesota the final weekend of the 2017 regular season helped the Huskers win their first Big Ten title. Those victories in Minneapolis also sent the Boilermakers back to the Big Ten Tournament for the first time since 2012. They were matched up with Nebraska in the opening round. The Huskers' win that day in Bloomington marked the only meeting between the teams in the last two years. Skyler Hunter, Bryce Bonner and Milo Beam are the only active Boilermakers who saw action in that game.
Purdue has played 166 regular-season games vs. 44 different teams since its last series with Nebraska in March 2016. Since the Huskers joined the Big Ten in 2012, the road team has won each of the first four Purdue-Nebraska series. The Boilermakers won two of three in Lincoln in 2012 and 2015. The Huskers swept series at Alexander Field in 2013 and 2016.
Including its three victories at the 2018 Big Ten Tournament at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha, Purdue is 7-3 in the state of Nebraska since the Big Ten's first round of expansion brought the Huskers into the league for the 2011-12 school year.
The Boilermakers were also scheduled to visit the state of Nebraska a month ago for a weekend series at Creighton (March 8-10). But that series was canceled due the lingering effects of a late-February blizzard. That same weekend, Nebraska had to move its home series against Baylor to Waco. The Huskers still managed to win two of three. But their three-game home set the following weekend against New Mexico State was canceled due to the same weather issues.
Nebraska has won eight of 10 since the NMSU series was canceled, including a 5-0 start at home. The Huskers swept Michigan State to open league play two weekends ago. They also played preseason favorite Minnesota tough last weekend in Minneapolis, but ultimately lost two of three.
The Boilermakers are a half-game ahead of Nebraska in the standings after winning four of five against Northwestern and Penn State to begin league play. Another series win this weekend in Lincoln would keep Purdue on pace with its 2012 Big Ten championship team as the last to win the first three series of Big Ten play.
Wednesday's game against Indiana State marked the start of a challenging two-week stretch to begin April. The Boilermakers' first five opponents this month – Indiana State (22-4), Nebraska (14-9), Indiana (17-11), Iowa (16-11) and Butler (16-10) – are a combined 85-45 (.654) entering the weekend.
SENIORS AND STRIKEOUTS
• Of the six probable starting pitchers slated to take the ball this weekend, Purdue's Andrew Bohm is the only non-senior. Nebraska's senior trio of Matt Waldron, Nate Fisher and Reece Eddins make opposing hitters earn their way on base. They've only issued a combined 12 walks in 95 1/3 innings this season. They have a collective WHIP of 0.95.
• Conversely, how much of a factor will the strikeout be this weekend? At the plate, the Huskers average 9.65 strikeouts per game. On the mound, Purdue averages 9.21 strikeouts per nine innings. Both marks rank second in the Big Ten. Nebraska does take its fair share of walks. The Huskers draw a league-high 5.5 walks per game and also lead the conference with a .384 team on-base percentage. Walks were an issue for the Boilermakers over the first two weekends of the year, but they have a 3.36 strikeout-to-walk ratio over the last 16 games.
STREAKING BOILERMAKERS
• Nick Evarts' 8-Game Hit Streak: .414 (12-for-29), 2B, 6 RBI, 3 R, .485 OBP
• Owen Jansen's 9-Game Reached Base Safely Streak: .348 (8-for-23), 4 2B, 2 RBI, .483 OBP
• Skyler Hunter's 22-Game B1G Reached Base Safely Streak: .337 (29-for-86), 10 XBH, HR, 16 RBI, 20 R, .420 OBP
• Ryan Howe's 3 Consecutive Multi-Hit Games: 7-for-11, 3B, RBI, Sac Bunt
• Patrick J. Smith's 3 Straight Wins: 18 1/3 IP, 11 H, 3 R, 8 BB, 24 K, 1.47 ERA, .172 B/Avg.
• Bo Hofstra's 7 Consecutive Scoreless Appearances: Win, 3 Saves, 9 2/3 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 13 K, .125 B/Avg.
• Zac Fascia's 74 Consecutive Innings Behind the Plate: 1.34 catcher's ERA; pitching staff has 82 strikeouts