On Deck: Nebraska baseball vs. Baylor
(Photo: Michael Bruntz, 247Sports) The Will Bolt era officially kicks off this weekend as Nebraska baseball opens the 2020 season with a three-game series against former Big 12 foe Baylor in Waco, Texas. This weekend's games will be available to stream on ESPN+
WATCH/LISTEN
TV/Stream: ESPN+
Radio: Husker Sports Network
PROJECTED STARTERS
Friday, Feb. 14 • 6:30 p.m. (CT)Radio: Husker Sports NetworkGareth Stroh (0-0) vs. Jimmy Winston (0-0)
Saturday, Feb. 15 • 2:05 p.m. (CT)Radio: Husker Sports NetworkColby Gomes (0-0) vs. Paul Dickens(0-0)
Sunday, Feb. 16 • 1:05 p.m. (CT)Radio: Husker Sports NetworkCade Povich (0-0) vs. TBA
THE SERIES
The Will Bolt era kicks off Friday against an experienced Baylor team. The Bears didn't lose any starting pitching or starting position players from last year's team, and boast the Big 12 Conference's preseason player of the year in Nick Loftin. The weekend series will be a bit unique for Baylor. The Bears will have 14 players who will each serve two game suspensions — though the suspensions will be scattered throughout the weekend.
Nebraska returns nine of the 11 position players who started at least half of the Huskers' games last season, as only departed seniors Angelo Altavilla and Alex Henwood are gone. Leading the way for the Husker offense will be junior outfielder Aaron Palensky, who led the Huskers in batting average, hits, runs scored and home runs last season. He begins the season having reached base in 21 consecutive games dating back to last season. Palensky was the only Husker who hit over .300 last season.
The Huskers will only play three games in each of their first three weekends — a schedule that suits Will Bolt. Bolt said he likes only playing three games on weekends early in the season because it doesn't put pressure on his team to have to immediately find a fourth starting pitcher. Bolt said his starting pitchers are built up to hopefully get his team through five or six innings this weekend, though he said there won't be a hard and fast pitch count. "We don't have to stretch multiple guys out who aren't ready to do that," Bolt said of his preference for three-game series.
Bolt said Nebraska was able to get outside multiple times in Lincoln before heading to Waco to practice this week. Nebraska scrimmaged last Saturday in Lincoln, and got outside a couple times this week at Haymarket Park even though the temperatures hovered around the freezing mark.
The Huskers will want to press the issue on the basepaths, Bolt said. He said that fact that Nebraska returns the bulk of its position players bodes well for being able to operate the Huskers' new offensive system.
"We have some veterans who have been in college baseball and this is a little different system for them. They're smart guys, we've been implementing this stuff since basically October with them. I think they'll be ready."
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