NEBRASKA SOFTBALL NEBRASKANO. 1 IN softball Academic All-AMericans • NO. 9 IN ncaa tournament WINS NO. 8 in World SerieS AppearanceS • NO. 10 in NCAA Tournament appearanceS SOFTBALL MEDIA RELATIONS cONTAcT: MATT SMITh OFFIcE PhONE: (402) 472-7780 cELL PhONE: (402) 770-5926 E-MAIL: [email protected] WEEK 9: 2012 NEBRASKA SchEDuLE ILLINOIS AT NEBRASKA Date Opponent Time/Result Kajikawa Classic (Tempe, Ariz.) Dates: April 6 (DH) & 7 Feb. 9 vs. No. 12 Washington L, 0-4 First Pitches: 3 & 5 p.m./11 a.m. Feb. 10 vs. No. 8 Arizona W, 11-10 Illinois Fighting Illini Location: Lincoln, Neb. Nebraska cornhuskers Feb. 10 vs. Idaho State W, 12-4 (5) Record: 16-15 Stadium: Bowlin Stadium Record: 21-14 Feb. 11 vs. Cal State Northridge W, 10-2 (6) Ranking: NR Live Stats: Huskers.com Ranking: NR Feb. 11 vs. Oregon State L, 3-11 (6) Big Ten Record: 2-4 Live Stats: Huskers.com Big Ten Record: 4-2 Feb. 12 vs. No. 23 Georgia Tech L, 5-6 Road Record: 1-4 Live Video: HuskersNSide (Friday only) home Record: 7-0 Troy Cox Classic (Las Cruces, N.M.) Feb. 17 vs. Colorado State W, 10-2 (6) huSKERS hOST FIGhTING ILLINI ON FRIDAy AND SatuRDAy Feb. 17 at New Mexico State W, 15-2 The Nebraska softball team opens up a short four-game homestand with a three-game series against Feb. 18 vs. Stephen F. Austin W, 9-0 (5) Illinois on Friday and Saturday at Bowlin Stadium. In a change from the original schedule, Friday’s Feb. 18 vs. Weber State W, 12-4 (5) doubleheader will now start at 3 p.m. and Saturday’s finale will begin at 11 a.m. Feb. 19 at New Mexico State W, 10-2 (5) Fans can purchase tickets for the series online at Huskers.com, over the phone by calling 1-800-8-BIG- Cathedral City Classic (Cathedral City, Calif.) ReD or in person at the Bowlin Stadium ticket office, located at the main entrance to the stadium, Feb. 24 vs. No. 19 Oregon L, 2-4 behind home plate. Friday is Military Appreciation Day, and all active and retired military personnel will Feb. 25 vs. Cal Poly L, 7-14 Feb. 25 vs. No. 11 Missouri W, 6-4 receive free admission into Friday’s game. The Husker baseball team is also home this weekend and Feb. 26 vs. No. 8 Texas L, 0-3 fans with a ticket to the baseball game will receive $1 admission into that day’s softball game. Feb. 26 vs. No. 5 Washington L, 3-6 Saturday’s series finale features several fan-friendly promotions. Seniors Ashley Hagemann and Nikki Texas A&M Invitational (College Station, Texas) Haget, both elkhorn, Neb., natives, will be honored during the game as part of Hometown Husker day. March 2 vs. Houston W, 2-0 Kids can also participate in an easter egg hunt after the game and run the bases. The softball team will March 2 at No. 21 Texas A&M L, 0-6 also sign autographs following the easter egg hunt. March 3 vs. Texas State L, 1-5 Those fans unable to make it out to Bowlin Stadium this weekend can follow all of the action online. March 3 at No. 21 Texas A&M L, 1-4 A free radio broadcast of all three games will be available on Huskers.com, with Nate Rohr providing March 4 vs. Texas State L, 1-2 the play-by-play commentary. HuskersNSide subscribers can also watch a live video stream of Friday’s Mizuno Classic (Stillwater, Okla.) doubleheader. Free live stats will also be available on Huskers.com. March 9 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff W, 16-0 (5) Nebraska enters Friday’s doubleheader with a 21-14 overall record and a 4-2 record in Big Ten March 9 at Oklahoma State L, 0-2 Conference play. The Huskers have won 10 of their last 12 games, but saw their season-high nine-game March 10 vs. Loyola-Chicago - 1 W, 8-0 (5) winning streak snapped when they lost both games of a doubleheader at Minnesota last weekend. March 10 vs. Loyola-Chicago - 2 W, 4-2 March 13 South Dakota - 1 W, 7-0 Despite the disappointing doubleheader, Nebraska is still off to its best start in conference play since March 13 South Dakota - 2 W, 8-0 (5) 2006. The Huskers are currently in fourth place in the Big Ten standings, trailing only one-loss Michigan March 20 Nebraska-Omaha W, 2-1 and Ohio State (5-1) and undefeated Purdue (6-0). March 23 Northwestern* W, 9-6 NU has excelled at home this season, as the Huskers are a perfect 7-0 at Bowlin Stadium. The March 24 Northwestern - 1* W, 7-6 Huskers’ seven-game win streak to open their home schedule marks the third-best start since Bowlin March 24 Northwestern - 2* W, 8-1 Stadium opened in 2002, trailing only a 13-0 start in 2006 and a 9-0 start in 2009. Overall, Nebraska March 28 South Dakota State W, 8-0 (5) has won 10 consecutive home games dating back to last season. Nebraska’s current 10-game home March 31 at Minnesota - 1* L, 7-13 winning streak is also its longest since winning 11 straight home games during the 2007 season. March 31 at Minnesota - 2* L, 5-8 Following this weekend’s series, Nebraska concludes its homestand on Wednesday against Creighton. April 1 at Minnesota W, 5-4 (8) April 6 Illinois (Dh)* 3 & 5 p.m. huSKERS TO WATch NEBRASKA By ThE NuMBERS April 7 Illinois* 11 a.m. Gabby Banda, Jr., INF Nebraska has doubled 13 times through its April 11 Creighton 6 p.m. (NET) Gabby Banda is hitting .400 with first six Big Ten games, an average of more April 14 at Iowa (DH)* 2 & 4 p.m. career-high totals of 44 hits, 30 runs 13 than two doubles per game. In 18 Big 12 April 15 at Iowa* 3 p.m. (BTN) scored, 11 doubles, one triple and 24 games last season, NU totaled 12 doubles. April 18 at Nebraska-Omaha 6 p.m. RBIs. Banda has totaled 15 extra-base April 21 at Ohio State (DH)* 4 & 6 p.m. hits in 110 at bats in 2012 after having Nebraska is 4-2 in Big Ten play this season, April 22 at Ohio State* 1 p.m. 21 extra-base hits in 279 career at bats entering this marking its best start to conference play in April 25 at Creighton 6 p.m. season. In Big Ten play, Banda leads NU with a .500 6 six seasons. The 2006 Huskers were also April 28 Michigan State (Dh)* 1 & 3 p.m. average, 11 hits, eight runs and four doubles. 4-2 through their first six Big 12 games. April 29 Michigan State* 1 p.m. (BTN) May 5 at Indiana (DH)* 1 & 3 p.m. Brooke Thomason, Jr., OF NU has scored at least five runs in every Big May 6 at Indiana* Noon Brooke Thomason has hit safely in 11 Ten game. The streak of scoring five runs in May 11 Wisconsin (Dh)* 5 & 7 p.m. of her last 13 games, including eight 5 six consecutive conference games ties for May 12 Wisconsin* 1 p.m. straight. Overall, Thomason is 16-for- the longest stretch in school history (1998). May 17-20 NCAA Regional TBA 39 (.410) over her last 13 games with May 24-27 NCAA Super Regional TBA three doubles, two home runs, 13 runs Gabby Banda is batting an even .400 this May 31-June 6 Women’s College World Series TBA scored and 17 RBIs. During her eight-game hitting season. She is only the fifth Husker since streak, Thomason is 9-for-24 (.375). She has also 1999 to boast a .400 season batting All game times are Central and subject to change. 5 *Big Ten Conference game; Home games in bold at Bowlin Stadium. scored a run in eight straight games. average after April 1. NEBRASKA SOFTBALL NATIONAL LeADeR IN ACADeMIC ALL-AMeRICANS 2 uNIVERSITy INFORMATION ScOuTING ThE ILLINOIS FIGhTING ILLINI (16-15 OVERALL, 2-4 BIG TEN) Location Lincoln, Neb. Illinois enters play this weekend with a 16-15 overall record TALE OF ThE TAPE Population 258,379 after losing its last five games. The Fighting Illini were swept at category NEB ILL Founded 1869 Iowa last weekend, but won two of three at Minnesota and sit at Record 21-14 16-15 enrollment 24,610 2-4 in Big Ten Conference play. Illinois and Nebraska share two Average .313 .239 Nickname Cornhuskers/Huskers Home Runs 22 10 Colors Scarlet & Cream common opponents this season in Minnesota and New Mexico State. The Huskers went 3-2 against those opponents, posting Slugging Pct. .463 .321 Conference Big Ten On-Base Pct. .409 .335 Chancellor Harvey Perlman, J.D. a 2-0 record against NMSU and a 1-2 mark at Minnesota last Stolen Bases 18 24 Athletic Director Tom Osborne weekend. The Fighting Illini posted a 3-1 record against that duo, Runs/Game 6.1 2.8 going 2-1 against Minnesota and 1-0 against New Mexico State. eRA 3.33 2.58 Illinois is averaging just 2.8 runs per game this season. The NEBRASKA cOAchING STAFF Runs Allowed/Game 3.9 3.8 Fighting Illini have been held to two runs in their last four games. Shutouts 7 6 Head Coach Rhonda Revelle (Nebraska, 1984) Strikeouts/Game 7.7 6.0 Career Record 750-415 (.644) [20 years] In six Big Ten Conference games, Illinois has scored only 12 runs Fielding Pct.