Kearney, Neb. - The Nebraska-Kearney baseball team starts a 13-game home stand this weekend when the Central Oklahoma Bronchos come to Memorial Field.

First pitch times are 2 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and noon on Sunday. Check the Loper schedule page for media links.

The 'Chos (8-5) are coming off a home series sweep of Washburn and a 15-8 midweek loss at Southwestern Oklahoma State. UCO went 37-21-1 last spring and reached the NCAA Central Regional finals. They were picked third in the MIAA preseason poll.

UCO is led at the plate by senior second baseman Kyle Miskovsky (.442, six doubles and 10 RBI's) and senior first baseman/outfielder Xavier Freeman (.279, two doubles, four HR's and 11 RBI's). Freeman is one of seven Division I transfers on the roster as he previously was at the College of Charleston (SC).

Three starting pitchers have two wins apiece including junior right hander J.J. Rogers (2.70 ERA, 13 K's in 16.2 innings). Finally, UNK dropped three games in Edmond last spring (6-4, 7-1 and 7-6). That was the final regular season series for both squads.

Offensively to date, the Lopers have scored almost 40 percent of its runs between the sixth and eighth innings. Batting .524 (22 of 42) with a runner and third base and less than two outs, UNK has six players batting at least .300 overall. That large group includes newcomers Alex Achtermann, Peter Carlson (Arvada, Colo.), and Brandon Hernandez (San Diego, Calif.).

On the mound, junior newcomer Eric Sandoz (Austin, Texas) has a team-best 1.64 ERA over 11.0 innings with three others having registered at least 10 K's. That trio includes Achtermann (Denver, Colo.) and junior lefty newcomer Evan Hill (Petaluma, Calif.).

Weather permitting, the Minot State Beavers from North Dakota (1-3) will come to town next weekend for a three-game non-conference series. MSU plays fellow NSIC-member Concordia-St. Paul in a double header on Monday (March 5) afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium.