Huskers Host Drake in Home Opener

LINCOLN –After seven straight weeks on the road, the Nebraska softball team (10-16) hosts its long-awaited home opener on Tuesday afternoon, as the Drake Bulldogs (16-13) come to Bowlin Stadium for a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. For tickets and game day information visit Huskers.com.

Husker Leaders
Tristen Edwards leads the Husker offense with a .333 batting average. The junior has a team-high 24 hits, nine home runs and 19 runs. She also had driven in a team-best 27 runs and has drawn 16 walks so far this season. Bri Cassidy (.324), Bree Boruff (.317) and Samantha Owen (.302) are also hitting over .300 on the season. Cassidy leads the team with six doubles, while Owen’s 12 RBIs rank third on the team. In the circle, Regan Mergele has a team-low 3.62 ERA. She’s made 15 appearances and 10 starts, which are both team highs. She also has 41 strikeouts on the season, which ranks second on the team. She also has Nebraska’s only two saves so far this season.

Last Time Out Nebraska looks to bounce back this weekend after being swept by No. 25 Michigan in its Big Ten opener March 23-24. Michigan’s All-American Pitcher Meghan Beaubien dominated in the circle picking up two wins and a save with a 0.00 ERA over the weekend. Alyvia Simmons led the Huskers, going 3-for-8 (.375) through three starts. Samantha Owen also had two hits over the weekend, including a two-run homer, which scored Nebraska’s only runs against Michigan. 

Scouting the Drake Bulldogs Drake enters the mid-week doubleheader with a 16-13 record overall, which includes a 4-1 record in the Missouri Valley Conference. Drake has won four of its last five games. Most recently, the Bulldogs swept a Missouri Valley Conference doubleheader Saturday with two road wins over Bradley. The teams were set to play the series finale on Sunday, but the game was canceled. As a team, the Bulldogs are hitting .246. Sarah Maddox leads the team with a .444 average, although she’s only played in 12 games. Macy Johnson and Mandi Roemmich lead the starters, with averages of .350 and .340, respectively. Johnson has 28 hits, five doubles and 10 RBIs. Johnson has also scored 17 runs. She also has a team-high 22 walks on the season, with an on-base percentage of .490, which ranks fourth in the conference. Additionally, Johnson has 12 stolen bases on 16 attempts. Roemmich has a team-high 23 runs, 32 hits and six doubles. She also has nine RBIs and 11 walks. 

Libby Ryan leads the team with 13 stolen bases and 10 sacrifice hits, while Nicole Newman has four of the team’s nine home runs this season. Overall, Libby is hitting .268 with 13 runs and 11 RBIs, while Newman is batting .254 with nine runs and 17 hits.

A double threat, Newman leads the Bulldogs in the circle. She has a 9-6 record with a 1.56 ERA. Newman has made 21 appearances, including 13 starts. She pitched a team-high 94.0 innings and 11 complete games. She also has three saves and 155 of the team’s 234 strikeouts. She’s holding opponents to just a .149 batting average. Newman’s 155 strikeouts rank second in the country, behind Florida’s Kelly Barnhill (156).

As a team, Drake is fielding .961 with 27 errors through 29 games. The Bulldogs have given up 16 unearned runs so far this season. 

Follow the Huskers
A live radio broadcast will be available on Huskers.com and the official Huskers App for all of Nebraska’s games this season. Fans can also follow the action on Twitter (@HuskerSoftball). Both games will be also be available on BTN Plus (subscription required).  Home Openers Nebraska is 15-2 in home openers since Bowlin Stadium opened in 2002, with the two losses coming to Creighton in 2005 and Wichita State in 2018. The Huskers have won 12 of their last 13 home openers. Simmons Back in the Starting Lineup

Alyvia Simmons returned as one of Nebraska’s top hitters this season, but she suffered a minor injury in the middle of the season that limited her playing time. However, Simmons has bounced back quickly and is performing quite well since getting back in the starting lineup. Simmons started the first 10 games, but was unable to start the following eight games. However, she's been back in the starting lineup for the last eight games and is hitting .333 in that stretch, an improvement from her .275 season average.