Huskers Face Off Against Golden Gophers

LINCOLN – The Nebraska softball team (30-14, 8-5 Big Ten) will travel to Minneapolis, Minn., for a top-four Big Ten matchup against Minnesota (24-14, 7-3) April 20-22. The Huskers, who currently hold the No. 4 spot in the Big Ten standings, and the Gophers, who rank third in the conference, will play a total of three games this weekend. Game one is on Friday beginning at 6:30 p.m. The game will be televised on BTN and will also be available on BTN2Go and the BTN mobile app. Game two will be on Saturday at 1 p.m. and will be streamed on BTNPlus/FloSoftball (subscription required). The series finale is set for Sunday at 3 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPNU and will also be available online at WatchESPN.com or on the WatchESPN app. Additionally, games one and three will also be available on Huskers.com (radio).

Last Time Out
Nebraska went 2-0 against Purdue on April 13, before game three of the series was cancelled due to bad weather. In the doubleheader, Tristen Edwards went 5-for-6 with two runs and five RBIs to lead the Huskers to a combined 18 runs. Laura Barrow also had an impressive day, going 2-for-3 with five runs and five walks. Kaylan Jablonski hit her first-career grand slam in game two to kick off what would be a 10-run first inning for the Huskers. Jablonski also picked up both wins in the circle, pitching total 10.0 innings. She gave up nine hits, five runs and had seven strikeouts through both games.

Scouting Minnesota
Minnesota comes into the weekend with a 24-14 overall record, including a 7-3 record in Big Ten games. Most recently, the Golden Gophers swept Iowa in a three game series in Iowa City April 12-13. The Gophers outscored the Hawkeyes 25-3 over the course of the three games and two of the games ended early due to the mercy rule.

In the Iowa series, sophomore Amber Fiser went 2-0 with a complete game and a 0.00 ERA. She recorded 10 strikeouts and allowed just one walk and seven hits through 14.0 innings. She was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week on Monday for her efforts in the circle, becoming Minnesota’s first conference pitcher of the week since three-time NFCA All-American Sara Groenewegen last May. Fiser leads the team in the circle with an overall record of 16-8 and an overall ERA of 1.80, which includes an ERA of 1.18 in conference play. She’s pitched 159.1 innings this season - more than all three other Gopher pitchers combined. Fiser also has pitched a conference-high 19 complete games this season, which includes two solo shutouts. She has a team-high 166 strikeouts, which ranks second in the Big Ten.

At the plate, the Gophers are led by Ellee Jensen, MaKenna Partain and Kendyl Lindaman, who are each batting above .300 this season. Jensen leads the team with a .371 average. Partain is batting .353, while Lindaman is batting .349. Lindaman also has a team-high 36 RBIs and team-best 15 home runs. The rest of the team as 17 homers. In conference play, Lindaman has been even more impressive for the Gophers. She leads the Big Ten with a .522 batting average, a 1.304 slugging percentage, a .732 on base percentage and 17 walks in Big Ten only games. In conference play, Minnesota ranks in the top three in batting average, ERA, slugging percentage, on base percentage, doubles, home runs, opposing bat average, hits allowed, runs allowed, walks allowed and home runs allowed.

Dynamic Duo

Kaylan Jablonski and Tristen Edwards have 20 combined homers. They become the 12th pair in NU history to reach the feat

Double Trouble

Tristen Edwards is one of 13 players in Husker history to have at least 10 doubles and 10 home runs in the same season, after picking up her 10th double in game two against Purdue on April 13.

Grand Gestures

Junior Madi Unzicker hit Nebraska’s first grand slam of the season on March 27 against South Dakota at Bowlin Stadium. It was also her first-career grand slam. She finished the game with one run and a career-best four RBIs.Junior Madi Unzicker hit Nebraska’s first grand slam of the season on March 27 against South Dakota at Bowlin Stadium. It was also her first-career grand slam. She finished the game with one run and a career-best four RBIs. Senior Kaylan Jablonski hit her first-career grand slam in game two of the Purdue doubleheader on April 13.

Unzicker Having Recent Success

Junior Madi Unzicker has had some recent success at the plate lately. Two weekends ago, she had an impressive weekend at Indiana (games 38-40) - possibly her best of the season thus far. Unzicker ranked third on the team and second among starters with a .364 batting average against IU. She went 4-for-11 with one double and one RBI.  In the Iowa doubleheader, she was one of just five Huskers to record a hit. She also had one RBI. In the Purdue doubleheader, Unzicker went 4-for-7, with one run.

Huskers Enjoying Otte's Return on Offense

In game two of the Iowa doubleheader, Taylor Otte hit a double to snap a nine-game hitless streak. With a struggling offense, Nebraska would benefit from Otte finding her offensive rhythm again. Through the first 15 games of the season, Otte was batting .273. She had 12 hits, nine runs, three doubles, two homers and six RBIs. Otte’s been providing the offense with a little spark as of lately. In the last three games, Otte’s batting .400, with one run, one double and one RBI.

Battle of the Bats

This weekend’s field will feature two of the best hitters in the Big Ten in Nebraska’s Tristen Edwards and Minnesota’s Kendyl Lindaman. Both are leading their teams in conference play in nearly every offensive category and are ranked high among all conference players as well.

Huskers Hope Barrow is Back

Prior to the Indiana series, Laura Barrow had been on fire at the plate. Her offensive totals improved significantly and she moved up in the batting order. Addtionally, she had reached base nine straight games. However, prior to the Purdue doubleheader, Barrow had gone five games without getting a hit. In the two games against the Boilermakers, Barrow seemed to find her groove again, going 2-for-3 with five runs and five walks.

Core Four

Since the Creighton game on March 21, Nebraska’s offense has seen a bit of a slump. Regular productivity has come from Alyvia Simmons, Laura Barrow, Kaylan Jablonski and Tristen Edwards. Since March 21, the four are averaging .371 at the plate, compared to the rest of the team's .194 average. The group also has 10 of the team's 13 home runs in that time and 61 of the team's 84 RBIs.