A busy stretch for Nebraska baseball continues Tuesday with a single chance against the surprise leader of the Big 12 Conference.

On deck for the Huskers is a rare midweek contest against a ranked opponent — the last ones were in 2013 — in No. 22 Kansas. The red-hot Jayhawks are full steam ahead for their first NCAA tournament berth in more than a decade while the game for Nebraska represents a chance to spruce up an RPI that begins the week at 95.

Nebraska at Kansas

Scouting Nebraska (14-18)

As the Husker bats gradually warm, pitching continues to be a mystery box from game to game and reliever to reliever. A common thread from NU’s 2-3 start to April — including midweek losses to Creighton and Omaha — has been a lack of length from starters. Their innings totals in that time: 1/3, two, five, 4 1/3 and 4 1/3. Of 24 games since March began, Husker opening pitchers have managed even five innings just eight times — with five of those from Friday starter Will Walsh.

“It’s just getting very tiresome that we can’t get a starter through five innings,” NU coach Will Bolt said. ‘You ain’t gonna win doing that over the course of the weekend very often. You’ve got to really, really hit to do that.”

NU is trying a new midweek pitcher this time in Harrahill, a sophomore whose only appearance last season was a one-inning start at Wichita State in which he allowed four runs (three earned). The Elkhorn North graduate has made seven appearances this year, all of two innings or shorter.

Seven previous combined midweek starts between TJ Coats and Carson Jasa have lasted an average of 2 2/3 frames. That’s put more stress on the bullpen to cover outs — Sunday’s loss to Rutgers included a taxed relief corps allowing four runs. The impending return of right-hander Tucker Timmerman from injury as another high-leverage option will be a welcome development for a ‘pen with a collective earned-run average of 5.79

A fallout of the starting struggles is NU allowing 39 fifth-inning runs this season, which accounts for more than 20% of the team total. Nebraska is 0-12 when trailing after four frames.

Scouting Kansas (27-6)

KU is a baseball school this season. The No. 22 Jayhawks are off to their best 33-game start in program history, atop the Big 12 standings and are widely carrying a top-25 ranking for the first time since 2014. They’ve already crafted win streaks of eight and six games and are currently riding another at nine straight contests including sweeps of Oklahoma State and UCF.

While pitching has generally held as a strength from last year’s 31-23 campaign, offensive output (9.5 runs/game, 11th nationally) and defensive consistency (.977 fielding percentage, 32nd) have spiked dramatically on a 40-man roster with 27 newcomers. Power is especially surging — KU’s 73 home runs are fourth nationally and two away from the school’s single-season record.

All 10 Jayhawks with double-digit blasts started their careers elsewhere with star sluggers Brady Ballinger (.408 average, 12 homers) a junior college add and Jackson Hauge (.328, 14) from the Division II ranks. KU doesn’t run (16 steals, 283rd) but does everything else well including get on base (.434 OBP, 15th) and mash (.571 slugging, eighth).

Steitz, a 6-foot-8 redshirt junior, opened the season as the team’s Saturday starter but has worked his way back from injury of late and will likely be the first in a parade of arms Tuesday.

Dugout chatter

» Kansas brings an RPI of 14 into the week and is the only top-25 RPI team with a strength of schedule in triple digits (102). The Jayhawks are 26-3 against non-Quad 1 opponents and 1-3 against Q1 foes including dropping two of three at Arizona State.

KU last qualified for an NCAA regional in 2014 and has done so three times since the mid-1990s.

» Senior right-hander Malakai Vetock is the lone Nebraskan on the Kansas roster. The Elkhorn product and Creighton transfer has been one of the most active Jayhawks relievers with a 3.77 ERA across 11 appearances and 14 1/3 innings. He has 14 strikeouts while allowing 10 walks and 12 hits.

» Nebraska leads the all-time series of former longtime league rivals 149-103-2. Kansas won both midweek encounters last year. The teams are scheduled to play again April 22 in Lincoln.