Two weeks ago, the Huskers were ranked 18th nationally in scoring offense, and ranked in the 130s in pitching. The arms had one of their better weekends last week at a tournament hosted by Kansas, but the NU offense endured a streak of 22 scoreless innings and three straight shutouts.
It's also been quite a learning experience for a Husker lineup that is searching for its offensive identity. For many Huskers, the nonconference season was their first chance to contribute at a regular rate.
In NU's most recent game, a 1-0 loss to Kansas on Sunday, seven of the Huskers' nine hitters in the lineup were first-year starters or pitchers who are not regulars at the plate.