Huskers Host Purdue This Weekend

The Nebraska softball team begins a season-ending six-game homestand this weekend when the Huskers welcome the Purdue Boilermakers to Bowlin Stadium for a three-game Big Ten Conference series.

Please be advised that there was a schedule change Thursday night and the teams will now open their series on Friday with a doubleheader at 3 p.m.

NU is anxious to play after having its last two games canceled. The Huskers have not played since an 11-10 walk-off loss at No. 24 Minnesota last Saturday.

The Huskers are 28-16 this season. Nebraska was 31st in this week’s NCAA RPI ranking, putting the Huskers in solid position for a possible at-large berth into the 2016 NCAA Tournament.

Nebraska can improve its postseason positioning with a strong finish. Purdue is No. 67 in the RPI and next weekend’s opponent - Wisconsin - is ranked 69th. The Huskers have already played 30 of their first 44 games this season against top-100 opponents, which has helped Nebraska face the 34th-toughest overall schedule in the country and the 15th-toughest non-conference schedule.

With a 9-7 record in Big Ten play, NU is also looking to move up the league standings. The Huskers are currently in sixth place in the standings, one-half game out of fifth place and 2.5 games out of fourth.

This Week's Top 10

1. Nebraska came in at No. 31 in this week’s NCAA RPI ranking, remaining in solid position for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
2. The Huskers have faced six of the top eight teams in this week’s NCAA RPI ranking, with wins over three of those six teams.
3. Nebraska and No. 1 Florida are the only two teams in the country who have defeated at least three of the top-10 teams in this week’s NCAA RPI.
4. With Purdue (67th) and Wisconsin (69th) both in the top 100 of the RPI, Nebraska will play 36 of its 50 regular-season games against top-100 opponents (72 percent).
5. Nebraska is 39-13 all-time at home in Big Ten play.
6. Nebraska has only played two games in the last 11 days, and the Huskers haven’t won since an 11-9 (11) victory at Northwestern on April 17.
7. Nebraska needs two wins this weekend to record its eighth straight 30-win season and its 18th in the last 19 seasons.
8. MJ Knighten has become the firstplayer in school history to produce 50 hits, 50 runs and 50 RBIs in consecutive seasons.
9. MJ Knighten is 1 of 5 players nationally with 50 hits, 50 runs and 50 RBIs entering this week.
10. Cassie McClure is 1 of 6 pitchers nationally who have totaled at least 15 wins and five saves this season.

Scouting Purdue (26-22, 7-10 Big Ten)
Purdue, which had its mid-week game canceled due to inclement weather, enters this weekend’s series with a 26-22 overall record. The Boilermakers are tied for eighth place in the Big Ten Conference standings with a 7-10 record in league play. Purdue is 13-7 in true road games this season, including a 5-3 record in Big Ten play.

Nebraska and Purdue share six common opponents this season in DePaul, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio State and Omaha. The Huskers posted a 6-4 record against that group, while the Boilermakers were 4-10.

Boilermaker Offense
Purdue is batting .251 as a team while averaging 4.0 runs per game. In conference play, the Boilermakers are hitting only .210 and average just 3.3 runs per game. Purdue is last in the league in batting average in all games and conference-only games. In Big Ten play, the Boilermakers are hitting .041 lower than any other team. Purdue does boast one of the fastest teams in the conference, as the Boilermakers lead the league with 77 stolen bases.

Kristen Hoppman is one of three Boilermakers hitting above .300 this season, as she leads the team with a .314 average. Hoppman boasts both power and speed. She owns 11 extra-base hits and ranks second in the Big Ten in triples (5) and stolen bases (28). Lauren Stewart is batting .309 with nine doubles, three homers and 16 stolen bases. Katie Harrison rounds out the trio of .300 hitters with a .304 average that includes team-high totals of nine doubles, five homers, 16 walks and 24 RBIs.

Boilermaker Defense
Purdue ranks second in the Big Ten with a 2.91 ERA, and the Boilermakers limit their opponent to an average of 3.8 runs per game. Purdue has been nearly as good in Big Ten play, posting a 3.31 ERA while allowing an average of 4.5 runs per game. Defensively, Purdue averages 1.3 error per game and has allowed 45 unearned runs in 48 games.

Lilly Fecho has been dominant in the circle, as she leads the league with a 1.84 ERA. The left-hander has thrown more than half of Purdue’s total innings, compiling a 17-10 record with three saves and 199 strikeouts in 186.2 innings. Fecho also leads the Big Ten in innings pitched and is third in strikeouts, fourth in wins and fifth in saves. In Big Ten play, Fecho is 4-6 with a 2.30 ERA.

Gina Snyder (5-6, 4.40 ERA in 62.0 IP) and Maddie Damon (4-6, 3.90 ERA in 61.0 IP) have split the majority of the innings behind Fecho, while Katie Johnson (0-0, 6.20 ERA in 14.2 IP) rounds out the Boilermaker staff.

Boilermaker Coaching Staff
Kim Schuette owns a 84-75-1 record in her third season at Purdue. She boasts a 282-241-1 career record in 10 seasons as a head coach. Schuette is assisted by Jason Dorey (third year) and Eileen Hannigan (first year).

Series History With Purdue
Nebraska and Purdue have met only 10 times entering this weekend. The teams met only twice prior to the Huskers joining the Big Ten Conference in 2012, with Purdue winning both meetings. Nebraska leads the all-time series, 6-4, and the Huskers have won two straight and six of the last eight. NU is 4-2 against Purdue in Big Ten Conference play.

Nebraska is hosting the Boilermakers at Bowlin Stadium for the first time in a Big Ten Conference series. The only previous meeting came in the quarterfinals of the 2013 Big Ten Tournament at Bowlin Stadium, with the Huskers coming from behind for a 3-2 win.