Softball Some pretty noteworthy stats + milestones that made me do a double take

[Zack Carpenter]

Nebraska (25-16, 8-3) is third in the Big Ten with a big-time road series ahead this weekend against Michigan (30-14, 11-3), the league's second-place team, as both seek to strengthen their résumés for a potential NCAA Tournament at-large berth. Both the Huskers (No. 44) and Wolverines (No. 50) are in the top 50 of the NCAA RPI and each school has claimed its highest RPI ranking of the season this week.

Game 1 on Friday will be broadcast live on FS1 and the Fox Sports app. Games 2 and 3 on Saturday and Sunday are available to stream on B1G+ and as always all three can be heard live on Huskers Radio Network.

I was scanning the press release previewing this series and did a double take on some of these stats, milestones, etc:

• Six of Nebraska’s 24 players (25 percent of the roster) are out for the season with an injury.
• A total of 12 Huskers have missed at least one game due to injury this season.
• Nebraska is averaging 6.1 runs per game this season. Only twice in program history (2015 and 2022) has a Husker team averaged 6.0 runs per game.
• Nebraska has won four games when trailing after six innings this season, its most such wins in a season this century.
• The Huskers are 4-10 when trailing after six innings this season. They were 3-74 in such games over the previous five seasons.
• Nebraska has trailed in 15 of its 25 wins, including nine times when it came back from a multi-run deficit.
• Billie Andrews is two home runs shy of becoming the sixth player in Big Ten history with 60 career home runs.
• Kaylin Kinney is one of only six pitchers nationally with at least 15 wins and four saves this season.
• With a .300 average that currently ranks seventh in school history, NU is looking to post a .300 batting average for the third straight season and for the seventh time in program history.

Kaylin Kinney

• Kinney has pitched in 31 of Nebraska’s 41 games (76 percent), ranking 15th nationally in appearances. Kinney has pitched in 13 of Nebraska’s last 14 games and in 10 of the Huskers’ 11 Big Ten Conference games. She has started 14 games and thrown 122.2 innings this season after combining for 14 starts and 114.1 innings in her first three seasons.
• Kinney is 15-10 this season with four saves. She has earned either the win of the save in 19 of Nebraska’s 25 victories. Kinney has been involved in the decision in 12 of Nebraska’s last 14 games, posting a 7-2 record with three saves during that stretch.
• Kinney ranks 25th nationally in wins and 31st in saves. She is one of only six Division I pitchers with at least 15 wins and four saves this season.

Billie Andrews

• Andrews ranks 10th nationally in home runs per game (0.4) with 15 homers in 37 games. She is Nebraska’s all-time home run leader with 58 career homers.
• She hit the record-breaking 55th home run of her career against Illinois on March 22. Nebraska’s previous home run record was 54, set by Taylor Edwards (2011-14).
• Andrews has also tied another home run record. She has seven games with multiple homers in her career, tying Tristen Edwards (2017-21) for the most multi-homer games in NU history.
• She has 15 home runs this season. She is the first Husker to hit 15 or more home runs in three different seasons and just the second to have two 15-homer seasons.
• Andrews ranks 13th among all active Division I players with 58 career home runs.

Billie and the Big Ten

• She has joined Jennifer Lizama as the only players in program history to hit 40 career home runs and steal 40 career bases. With three more stolen bases, Andrews would become the first Husker with 50 career home runs and 50 career stolen bases.
• Nationally, there are only nine active Division I players with 40 career home runs and 40 career stolen bases. Of those nine, Andrews is one of only four players who has played her entire career in a power conference.
• Her production at the plate is leaving its mark in the Big Ten record book. Andrews already finds herself on the Big Ten’s all-time home runs list and she is also looking for a place on the Big Ten’s career slugging percentage top 10.
• Andrews’ 58 career home runs rank sixth in Big Ten history. Andrews is on pace to finish her career with 63 home runs, a total that would rank fourth in Big Ten history.
• Her .683 career slugging percentage currently ranks 10th in Big Ten history.
• Andrews is on pace to hit 20 home runs this season. Andrews is bidding to become just the third player in Big Ten history with two 20-home run seasons. The only two Big Ten players with two 20-home run seasons are Michigan’s Sierra Romero and Samantha Findlay.