Wednesday Afternoon Sports – Husker Baseball Battles NDSU, UNK Volleyball Hosts Legends Classic Saturday, Kearney Soccer Earns Win Over Grand Island, Husker Softball in Top 25, Local Sports Schedule

HUSKER BASEBALL TAKES ON NORTH DAKOTA STATE:

Nebraska concludes its nine-game homestand with a non-conference midweek matchup today with North Dakota State at Hawks Field.

First pitch between the Huskers and Bison is set for 6:35 p.m. Pregame coverage on KGFW begins at 6 PM.

Nebraska looks to end a three-game losing streak after ending last weekend’s four-game series vs. BYU with three consecutive one-run losses. North Dakota State comes to Lincoln after winning two of three games last weekend in a Summit League series at Omaha.

North Dakota State enters Wednesday’s game with a 21-11 overall record and 9-3 mark in Summit League action.

UNK VOLLEYBALL HOSTS LEGENDS CLASSIC SATURDAY:

The Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team will wrap up the spring with its annual “Legends Classic” this Saturday at the Health & Sports Center.

A total of 13 teams – including the current UNK squad being divided into “Blue” and “Gold” groups – will play three matches each. The field also consists of four Loper Alumni teams (Legends Gray, Black, White and Royal), Bellevue, Doane, Hastings, Midland, Cloud (Kan.) County C.C., Seward (Kan.) County C.C. and North Platte C.C.

Action begins at 10:30 a.m. with each match lasting 45 minutes or two sets to 25 points. Matches are slated to start at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:45 p.m. and 2:45 p.m.

The event is free to the public. 

KEARNEY WINS ‘EL CLASICO’ DOUBLEHEADER: 

The Kearney/Grand Island matchup lived up to its billing on Tuesday night with another classic in a doubleheader at Kearney High School. 

The Kearney girls dominated from the start, scoring 30 seconds into the contest and ending with two hat tricks for Kierstynn Garner and Delaney Junker. The win moved Kearney to 5-6 on the season. 

The boys matchup was thrilling to start, with GISH scoring first followed by two goals in the first half by the Bearcats. After intermission, Grand Island scored their second goal to tie the game. Despite several shots on goal by both sides, defense prevailed until the 3:45 mark of the second half where Nolan Brinegar scored to give the lead and the game to Kearney 3-2. 

The Bearcats improve to 9-3 on the season with both the girls and boys heading to Lincoln East on Thursday and Friday respectively.

STORM MATCH ORGANIZATION RECORD IN WIN:

The Tri-City Storm tied an organizational record by capturing the team’s 45th win of the regular season in Tuesday’s 8-3 home victory over the Fargo Force at the Viaero Center. 

The 2021-2022 Anderson Cup Championship team tied the 2018-2019 Anderson Cup Championship team as the only teams in the organization’s twenty-two year history to record 45 wins in a single season. The win also gave this year’s team a new organizational record for most home wins notched in the standings during a single regular season (26).

Tri-City hits the ice again on Friday, April 22nd, in a home game against the Lincoln Stars. Puck drop is set for 7:05pm CT.

HUSKER SOFTBALL RECEIVES NATIONAL RECOGNITION:

It didn’t happen all season for Nebraska women’s basketball, but with just a few weeks to go in the regular season, Nebraska softball has entered the top-25 rankings.

The Huskers are No. 21 in the D1Softball Top 25 and No. 25 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. Nebraska was last ranked in a top-25 poll in 2016. That was the last time NU made regionals.

Nebraska is 33-9 for the season and on an 18-game winning streak. The Huskers are on top of the Big Ten Conference standings with a 13-0 league record.

KOTY EARNS BIG TEN PITCHER OF THE WEEK:

Senior Koty Frank has been named the Big Ten Baseball’s Pitcher of the Week, the league office announced Tuesday morning.

Frank started on the mound for the Huskers in Nebraska’s combined one-hitter vs. BYU in the series opener. The combined one-hitter was the first for the Big Red since Nate Fisher, Robbie Palkert and Colby Gomes teamed up in a 2-0 win at Baylor on March 9, 2019.

The Tushka, Okla., native pitched 6.2 innings in the no-decision, tying his career-high set earlier this season vs. Northwestern State. Frank’s final line on the night included one hit, seven strikeouts and zero walks in the shutout performance. With Frank on the mound, BYU managed to only have one baserunner reach second base.

CHANGES COME TO UNK ATHLETICS SCHEDULE:

The weekend schedules for the Nebraska-Kearney softball and tennis teams have changed due to weather.

The 42nd-ranked Loper women’s tennis team (11-8, 4-3) will now host 53rd-ranked Missouri Western State (13-4, 4-2) on Sunday at 11 a.m. in Harmon Park. That MIAA dual was originally set for Friday at 3 p.m. Both squads are ranked in the all-important NCAA Central Region and the dual will also serve as UNK’s “Senior Day.”

Next, the Loper softball team (22-18, 12-6) will now face Newman (15-25, 6-12) on Thursday instead of Saturday. These games will be played at 12 and 2 p.m. On Friday, the games against 4th-ranked Central Oklahoma (38-6, 17-1) have been moved up two hours to a 12 & 2 p.m. starts. These games wrap up a rare 12-game home stand for UNK with Friday’s games being “Senior Day.”

TREV ALBERTS SPORTS NIGHTLY COMMENTS:

ALBERTS – CAN’T THANK FANS ENOUGH FOR CONTINUED INTEREST:

Nebraska Athletic Director Trev Alberts made his monthly appearance on Sports Nightly last night, and wanted to thank the fans first and foremost for their continued interest… 

The Huskers open up the season in Ireland on August 27 aiming for their first winning season since 2016.

ALBERTS – HAPPY WITH SUCCESS OVER SPRING PRACTICES:

Athletic Director Trev Alberts spoke on his monthly appearance on Sports Nightly Monday, saying he was very happy to see another successful spring football season for the Huskers especially with the new roles in the coaching staff… 

The new coaches will try to take Nebraska over the hump this season as the Huskers were rated by ESPN’s FPI with the highest percentage of probability to win the Big Ten West division. 

ALBERTS – REACH OF HUSKER FOOTBALL:

Nebraska Athletic Director Trev Alberts spoke on Sports Nightly Monday and was asked what the importance of Husker Football provides for other athletics at Nebraska… 

The Huskers hosted a varying group of potential recruits at the Red-White Spring Game including future football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, and volleyball recruits among others. 

ALBERTS – NEW ATHLETIC COMPLEX STILL ON TIME:

Trev Alberts was asked on Sports Nightly on Monday about the completion process of the new athletic complex that is being raised next to Memorial Stadium for student-athletes in Lincoln… 

Alberts continued that the new facility will cost $160 million instead of $150 million. The Huskers increased their private fundraising goal to $115 million, and they’ve already raised $107 million.

NBA PLAYOFFS SCORES:

TUESDAY RESULTS:

Miami Heat 115 – 105 Atlanta Hawks

Memphis Grizzlies 124 – 96 Minnesota Timberwolves

New Orleans Pelicans 125 – 114 Phoenix Suns

WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE:

Brooklyn Nets @ Boston Celtics – 6 PM (BOS 1-0)

Philadelphia 76ers @ Toronto Raptors – 7 PM (PHI 2-0)

Chicago Bulls @ Milwaukee Bucks – 8:30 PM (MIL1-0)

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

TUESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • GIRLS SOCCER: v. Grand Island
    • KHS 9-1
  • BOYS SOCCER: v. Grand Island
    • KHS 3-2
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS SOCCER: v. Lexington
    • Lexington 2-0
  • BOYS SOCCER: v. Lexington
    • Lexington 3-0

WEDNESDAY:

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
• • MENS TENNIS: @ Northwestern College – 3 PM
  • WOMENS TENNIS: @ Northwestern College – 3 PM

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BOYS GOLF: Columbus Invite @ Elks Country Club – 9 AM
  • BASEBALL: @ Creighton Prep – 3 PM (Doubleheader)
    • Pregame on KGFW at 2:50 PM
  • GIRLS SOCCER: @ Lincoln East – 4 PM
  • GIRLS TENNIS: @ Hastings – 4 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • BOYS GOLF: @ Gibbon Invite – 1 PM
  • BASEBALL: @ Creighton Prep – 3 PM (Doubleheader)
    • Pregame on KGFW at 2:50 PM
  • GIRLS TENNIS: v. Hershey Dual – 4 PM
  • GIRLS SOCCER: @ Lakeview – 5 PM
  • BOYS SOCCER: @ Lakeview – 7 PM
• UNK:
  • WOMENS TENNIS: v. MIAA Tournament
  • M/W T&F: @ Drake Relays (Des Moines) 
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • M/W T&F: @ Jim Dutcher Invite @ Doane

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • T&F: @ Lexington Invite – 12 PM
  • BOYS SOCCER: @ Lincoln East – 4:30 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • T&F: @ Lexington Invite – 12 PM
• UNK:
  • WOMENS TENNIS: v. MIAA Tournament
  • M/W T&F: @ Drake Relays (Des Moines) 
  • M/W T&F: @ Alex Francis Classic @ Hays, KS – 12 & 2 PM
  • SOFTBALL: @ Northeastern State – 1 PM, 3 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • M/W T&F: @ Jim Dutcher Invite @ Doane
  • MENS GOLF: @ GPAC Championships
  • SOFTBALL: @ Dakota Wesleyan – 1 PM, 3 PM

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BASEBALL: @ Norfolk Triangular (v. Norfolk, v. Omaha South)
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • BASEBALL: @ Norfolk Triangular (v. Norfolk, v. Omaha South)
• UNK:
  • WOMENS GOLF: v. MIAA Championships
  • M/W T&F: @ Midwest Classic @ Emporia, KS
  • SOFTBALL v. Newman – 12 PM, 2 PM @ Patriot Park
  • FOOTBALL: Spring Game – 1 PM @ Foster Field
  • VOLLEYBALL: v. Hastings College – 1 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • MENS GOLF: @ GPAC Championships
  • M/W T&F: @ Jim Dutcher Invite @ Doane
  • SOFTBALL: @ Jamestown – 12 PM, 2 PM
  • BASEBALL: @ Doane – 1 PM, 3 PM
  • MENS TENNIS: v. Morningside – 1 PM
  • WOMENS TENNIS: v. Morningside – 1 PM3
  • VOLLEYBALL: @ UNK – 1 PM