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Baseball Weekend Preview: Purdue

Jake Meyers leads the Huskers with four triples and is 4-for-4 on steal attempts.
Jake Meyers leads the Huskers with four triples and is 4-for-4 on steal attempts.

Winners of 10 of 11, Nebraska (13-7) heads to West Lafayette to take on a slumping Purdue team. The season didn't appear to hold much promise after NU's 3-6 start, but the Huskers have turned things around thanks to improved starting pitching and a mashing lineup.

Nebraska has a real opportunity to start of Big Ten play with a bang. After facing Purdue (4-14), the Huskers have a pair of home series with Illinois (8-10) and Northwestern (5-16). Given NU's current level of play, it could have a conference record of 7-2 or 8-1 by mid-April.

But Darin Erstad won't allow his team to look that far into the future. The Huskers have to start by taking care of business this weekend against a Purdue squad that ranks among the Big Ten's worst in both hitting and pitching.

Weekend schedule

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Friday, 5:30 p.m.: RHP Derek Burkamper (1-1, 2.20 ERA) vs. RHP Mike Lutz (1-0, 2.70)

Saturday, 1 p.m.: LHP Jake McSteen (1-0, 2.61) vs. RHP Shane Bryant (0-1, 4.80)

Sunday, noon: RHP Matt Waldron (3-1, 2.77) vs. RHP RHP Tanner Andrews (0-3, 6.35)

***All three games can be heard on 1400 AM in Lincoln and 590 AM in Omaha. Saturday's game is also scheduled to be carried on BTN Plus.

What to watch for

Getting comfortable on the road: Nebraska's recent hot stretch coincided with a nine-game home stand. Though the Huskers did well to take a pair of road games this week against Indiana State, they have done much of their best work at home and are 5-6 away from Hawks Field. Purdue has played just one home game this year, losing to No. 7 Louisville earlier this week.

Lights-out Luensmann: Erstad has declined to officially name Chad Luensmann as the team's closer, but it's clear he's quickly become one of the team's top late-inning options. The true freshman has yet to allow an earned run in 13.1 innings over eight appearances. Luensmann nearly has as many strikeouts (nine) as walks and hits combined (10) and has collected both of Nebraska's saves this season.

It's Miller time: While Scott Schreiber and Jake Placzek have stolen the early-season headlines, Ben Miller continues to put up monster numbers. The junior has slotted nicely into the No. 3 hole in the order, hitting a team-leading .378 with four home runs and 16 RBIs. Miller is getting on base at a .453 clip and has reached base at least once in every game since the season opener.

Know your enemy

***Purdue's only wins this season have come over East Tennessee State, Georgia State, Ohio and North Dakota.

***The Boilermakers have given up six runs or more in 10 of their 18 games. Their 5.89 team ERA is the second-highest in the Big Ten.

***While most of Purdue's lineup looks pretty pedestrian, there are two batters Nebraska must approach with caution. First baseman Kyle Wood has already popped eight home runs this season and sports a .676 slugging percentage, and outfielder Kyle Johnson is hitting .347 with five homers and 20 RBIs.

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