Bluejay Baseball Ready for Battle with #23 Nebraska
4/13/2015 8:04:00 PM | Baseball
OMAHA, Neb. - Creighton Baseball looks to even the season series with #23 Nebraska on Tuesday, April 14.
#23 Nebraska at Creighton
April 14 @ 7:00 pm
Nebraska Leads Series, 85-42-2
Media Coverage
TV: CBS Sports Network
Radio: 1620 - http://player.streamtheworld.com/_players/nrgmedia/player_gla1.php?callsign=KOZNAM
Stats: http://creighton.statbroadcast.com
TV: CBS Sports Network
Radio: 1620 - http://player.streamtheworld.com/_players/nrgmedia/player_gla1.php?callsign=KOZNAM
Stats: http://creighton.statbroadcast.com
Scouting #23 Nebraska (26-11, 5-4 BIG EAST)
Since handing the Bluejays a 5-1 defeat on March 31, Nebraska has gone 4-4, including a sweep at #17 Maryland over the first weekend of April. The Huskers, however, appeared to right their ship with 7-4 and 12-3 victories over Minnesota to close the series with Golden Gophers.
Nebraska is a squad dominated by its performance on the mound, the Cornhuskers have a 2.71 ERA. In the first meeting Garett King limited Creighton to just one run on two hits in eight innings. King will get the start again on Tuesday. He enters the game with a 2.48 ERA in eight appearances. His outing against the Bluejays was his longest of the season, needing just 94 pitches to post 24 outs (including five strikeouts).
Offensively Nebraska is dangerous at the plate with five hitters at or above .290 on the season. Ryan Boldt leads the Huskers with a .338 average, but Blake Headley has the team lead in RBI at 31.
The Huskers will be very aggressive at the dish and on the base paths. In the meeting on the final day of March, Nebraska swiped three bases and forced the Bluejays into two errors.
If Nebraska takes a lead into the final few frames, expect closer Josh Roeder to come on. Roeder has appeared in 13 games this season and has nailed down 11 saves. In 12.1 innings he has 17 strikeouts and just two walks.
Since handing the Bluejays a 5-1 defeat on March 31, Nebraska has gone 4-4, including a sweep at #17 Maryland over the first weekend of April. The Huskers, however, appeared to right their ship with 7-4 and 12-3 victories over Minnesota to close the series with Golden Gophers.
Nebraska is a squad dominated by its performance on the mound, the Cornhuskers have a 2.71 ERA. In the first meeting Garett King limited Creighton to just one run on two hits in eight innings. King will get the start again on Tuesday. He enters the game with a 2.48 ERA in eight appearances. His outing against the Bluejays was his longest of the season, needing just 94 pitches to post 24 outs (including five strikeouts).
Offensively Nebraska is dangerous at the plate with five hitters at or above .290 on the season. Ryan Boldt leads the Huskers with a .338 average, but Blake Headley has the team lead in RBI at 31.
The Huskers will be very aggressive at the dish and on the base paths. In the meeting on the final day of March, Nebraska swiped three bases and forced the Bluejays into two errors.
If Nebraska takes a lead into the final few frames, expect closer Josh Roeder to come on. Roeder has appeared in 13 games this season and has nailed down 11 saves. In 12.1 innings he has 17 strikeouts and just two walks.
Scouting the Bluejays (2015: 20-9, 5-1 BIG EAST)
After Nebraska ended Creighton's season-high seven-game win streak on March 31 the
Bluejays dropped the next game then rattled off five straight wins.
With victories in 15 of their last 18 game the Bluejays are putting themselves in the conversation for an at-large bid later this season.
Creighton has been playing well for two reasons, pitching and defense. In six BIG EAST games the Bluejays have a 2.12 ERA and have committed just two errors.
On the season Creighon has a 3.15 ERA,
lowered by a strong weekend that saw the
Bluejays allow just four runs in a sweep of Xavier.
At the plate Creighton is hitting .258, led by juniors Reagan Fowler (.346) and Brett Murray (.315).
The Road So Far
After stumbling out of the gate, 5-6, Creighton has won 15 of 18 games. The Bluejays are 11-3 at home this season, including eight straight wins.
Looking Ahead
The next ten home games will play a large role in if Creighton must rely on the BIG EAST
Tourament to reach the NCAA Tournament.
In addition to two games with the Huskers, Creighton welcomes St. John's in for three games, Arkansas and Omaha for one and Nevada for a three-game series.
After Nebraska ended Creighton's season-high seven-game win streak on March 31 the
Bluejays dropped the next game then rattled off five straight wins.
With victories in 15 of their last 18 game the Bluejays are putting themselves in the conversation for an at-large bid later this season.
Creighton has been playing well for two reasons, pitching and defense. In six BIG EAST games the Bluejays have a 2.12 ERA and have committed just two errors.
On the season Creighon has a 3.15 ERA,
lowered by a strong weekend that saw the
Bluejays allow just four runs in a sweep of Xavier.
At the plate Creighton is hitting .258, led by juniors Reagan Fowler (.346) and Brett Murray (.315).
The Road So Far
After stumbling out of the gate, 5-6, Creighton has won 15 of 18 games. The Bluejays are 11-3 at home this season, including eight straight wins.
Looking Ahead
The next ten home games will play a large role in if Creighton must rely on the BIG EAST
Tourament to reach the NCAA Tournament.
In addition to two games with the Huskers, Creighton welcomes St. John's in for three games, Arkansas and Omaha for one and Nevada for a three-game series.
Blue/Red Rivalry Brought the Noise
The first of three midweek games between Creighton and Nebraska certainly showed the rivalry has renewed life as 7, 319 fans packed into Hawks Field at Haymarket Park in Lincoln on Tuesday, March 31. The number of fans set a regular-season record for a game between the Bluejays and Huskers in Lincoln.
The two teams drew 10,418 fans in TD Ameritrade Park (TDAPO) in 2013, 12,183 in 2012 and 22,197 in the opening game at TDAPO on April 19, 2011.
Speaking of Noise
Five of Creighton's 10 largest crowds at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha have come in games against Nebraska. With a favorable forecast in the cards for Tuesday, another strong crowd is expected. Below is a list of Creighton's top-10 crowds at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha:
The first of three midweek games between Creighton and Nebraska certainly showed the rivalry has renewed life as 7, 319 fans packed into Hawks Field at Haymarket Park in Lincoln on Tuesday, March 31. The number of fans set a regular-season record for a game between the Bluejays and Huskers in Lincoln.
The two teams drew 10,418 fans in TD Ameritrade Park (TDAPO) in 2013, 12,183 in 2012 and 22,197 in the opening game at TDAPO on April 19, 2011.
Speaking of Noise
Five of Creighton's 10 largest crowds at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha have come in games against Nebraska. With a favorable forecast in the cards for Tuesday, another strong crowd is expected. Below is a list of Creighton's top-10 crowds at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha:
Creighton's Largest TDAPO Crowds
1. 22,197 Nebraska 4/19/11
2. 17,588 Nebraska 5/10/11
3. 15,184 Wichita State 5/18/12
4. 14,022 Seton Hall 5/03/14
5. 12,184 Nebraska 5/08/12
6. 12,581 Missouri State 5/17/13
7. 11,479 Iowa 5/15/12
8. 10,814 Southern Illinois 4/22/11
9. 10,418 Nebraska 5/14/13
10. 9,684 Nebraska 4/24/12
1. 22,197 Nebraska 4/19/11
2. 17,588 Nebraska 5/10/11
3. 15,184 Wichita State 5/18/12
4. 14,022 Seton Hall 5/03/14
5. 12,184 Nebraska 5/08/12
6. 12,581 Missouri State 5/17/13
7. 11,479 Iowa 5/15/12
8. 10,814 Southern Illinois 4/22/11
9. 10,418 Nebraska 5/14/13
10. 9,684 Nebraska 4/24/12
What a Recovery
After having surgery to repair a torn menicus in his left knee on Wednesday, April 1, sophomore Nicky Lopez returned to the field just eight days later in practice. Lopez was back in a game on April 10, playing in all three contests against Xavier.
Fitzgerald is Here to Pump you Up
Despite his rather small frame, junior Ryan Fitzgerald's work in the weight room paying dividends at the dish. Fitzgerald's only career home run entering 2015 was an inside the park grand slam at TDAPO last season. This year he already has three on the season, including two at the spacious home of the Bluejays.
With three home runs at TDAPO, Fitzgerald is just two behind five hit at the park by career HR leader Mike Gerber (20011-14).
After having surgery to repair a torn menicus in his left knee on Wednesday, April 1, sophomore Nicky Lopez returned to the field just eight days later in practice. Lopez was back in a game on April 10, playing in all three contests against Xavier.
Fitzgerald is Here to Pump you Up
Despite his rather small frame, junior Ryan Fitzgerald's work in the weight room paying dividends at the dish. Fitzgerald's only career home run entering 2015 was an inside the park grand slam at TDAPO last season. This year he already has three on the season, including two at the spacious home of the Bluejays.
With three home runs at TDAPO, Fitzgerald is just two behind five hit at the park by career HR leader Mike Gerber (20011-14).
Players Mentioned
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