Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney baseball team's "World Tour" continues this weekend with a three-game MIAA series at Lindenwood in St. Charles, Mo.
After the conclusion of this weekend's series, to be played Thursday and Friday due to expected poor weather, UNK will have logged no fewer than 5,100 road miles.
As of Wednesday, the teams are set to play a single game Thursday and a double header Friday. Check the
Loper schedule page for possible changes and also media links.
Since joining the MIAA in 2012-13, UNK (7-8, 0-3) is 6-4 all-time against the Lions. This will be UNK's first trip to St. Charles, located 24 miles from St. Louis, since 2013. Last year at Memorial Field, the Lopers beat the Lions by scores of 14-13 and 15-5. LWU took the other game, 14-1.
Lindenwood picked up an 8-7 home win over Division II member Illinois-Springfield on Tuesday to improve to 10-7. In MIAA play, they took two of three from Missouri Southern State and went 1-2 at NW Missouri State.
The Lions are averaging seven runs per game and hitting .284 as a team. Junior outfielder Drew Quinones (.442, two HR, 15 RBI's) leads with junior outfielder Wes Degener (.374, two doubles & three triples) a perfect 9 for 9 in stolen base attempts.
Having a solid 4.37 ERA, the LWU pitching staff has 144 strikeouts to just walks. True freshman right hander Blake Beckmann (3-1, 2.83 ERA) has logged a team-high 28.2 innings over five appearances and three starts. Next, junior right hander Andrew Eilers (2-1, 4.24 ERA) has 30 K's in 23.2 innings. All five of his appearances have been starts.
In the bullpen is senior right hander Connor Law (1-0, two saves, 3.00 ERA). Finally, the only lefty to log serious innings is senior DJ Hickey (0-2, 5.52 ERA).
Having a 6-8 road record, UNK has a .290 batting average and crosses home plate about six times per game. The Lopers have managed to hit 30 doubles, two triples and
eight home runs.
Junior first baseman
Ricky Trammell (Kansas City) is swinging the hottest bat of late, currently riding a nine-game hit streak. The first year Loper has made 14 starts and is batting .382 with five doubles and nine RBI's. He also has six walks, tied for second most on the team.
Fourth-year junior designated hitter/catcher
Dallas Schramm (Millard North) already has eight multi-hit games, three more than any other Lopers. He is at .446 with six doubles, three dingers and 18 RBI's. He currently leads UNK in 10 major offensive categories.
A pitching staff that has seen 16 different arms take to the mound has struck out 105 in 119.0 innings while walking just 47. Juniors
Mitchell Robinson (3-0, 4.56 ERA) and
Bradley Brown (2-0, 5.32 ERA) have been the workhorses, combining to throw 25 percent of the total innings to date.
Senior right handers
Weston Glienke (1-0, 2.84 ERA) and
Sean Laughlin (0-0, 5.40 ERA) are two of the three Lopers to have appeared in six games. Both have come exclusively out of the pen.
UNK hosts the Sioux Falls Cougars (1-5) on Monday and then hosts nationally-ranked Central Missouri (13-3) next weekend.
