The Nebraska baseball team (29-11) will close out the regular season this weekend in a three-game series against Michigan (26-15) in Lincoln. After winning all four games last weekend, the Huskers clinched first place in the Big Ten and with it, a guaranteed spot in the NCAA regional tournament. Having clinched the title, this weekend’s series becomes meaningless for NU as far as Big Ten rankings are concerned, but a strong performance can prove to the NCAA selection committee why the Big Red deserve to host a regional.
Last weekend went perfectly to plan for Nebraska and they started off with an 8-5 win over Indiana. As things started to look like they were taking a turn in Game 2 against Ohio State, the Huskers got things back on track with their biggest comeback of the season. After being down 9-2 with three innings remaining, NU scored nine runs, including four in the ninth inning to take down the Buckeyes. Game 3 the momentum was at an all time high as Chance Hroch pitched a complete game, giving up just three one run on three hits in the Big Red’s 3-1 win over the Hoosiers. The fourth and final game was all Nebraska as they dominated OSU 9-0 to take a pod series sweep and clinch the Big Ten title.
Michigan’s past weekend didn’t go quite as smooth as they had planned, and their struggles helped the Huskers clinch the Big Ten title. As the Wolverines were the closest competitor in the chase for first place in the conference, they had to keep winning to try and catch NU.
Michigan lost their series last weekend 2-1 to Maryland who took games one and three. Friday’s game was a thriller as the Wolverines came back from being down 8-0 and scored five runs in the ninth inning to tie it. However, in extra innings, the Terrapins came out on top 11-8. Saturday’s game went in favor of Michigan 14-3, but Sunday Maryland took them down one more 7-3. Having just lost their second series of the year, the Wolverines are going to come into Lincoln needing to prove themselves for a NCAA tournament bid
Friday, 12:00 p.m.: LHP Cade Povich (5-1, 3.12 ERA) vs. LHP Steve Hajjar (4-0, 3.06 ERA)
Saturday, 12:00 p.m.: RHP Chance Hroch (5-1, 4.08 ERA) vs. RHP Cameron Weston (6-3, 2.64 ERA)
Sunday, 12:00 p.m.: TBA vs. LHP Jacob Denner (4-4, 4.38 ERA)
***All three games can be viewed on Big Ten Network and heard on Husker Sports Network.
Still something to prove
While this series means nothing for their Big Ten ranking, the Big Red will feel that they still have something to prove, and that is hosting a regional. Nebraska has won all but one of their series this year, and since getting swept by Rutgers, they have gone 9-1. The Huskers have won eight straight games heading into the Michigan series, something that hasn’t been done since 2016. With Haymarket Park being as lively as it is during the regular season, hosting a regional would be an even more exciting atmosphere that wouldn’t be seen many other places in the nation.
Can the pitching stay consistent?
Chance Hroch is coming off a career night last weekend with 10 strikeouts in his complete game that won him Big Ten Pitcher of the Week. So far this season, he hasn’t found success like that, so he will be looking to ride the momentum from that game into this series and the postseason.
Cade Povich on the other hand didn’t have his best start last weekend as he gave up four runs on eight hits. The junior has averaged less than one hit allowed per inning, and after finishing having pitching just four full innings, he over doubled that number. The lefty has been fantastic other than last weekend, so he will be looking to just brush that off and move on. If both Povich and Hroch can find their best stuff for the remainder of the season and the postseason, NU will be a team others will not want to face.
Nationally ranked once again
This is the second time that the Big Red are nationally ranked this season. Last time they made their way into the rankings, they were swept at home by Rutgers in the next series. Baseball America has Nebraska ranked 19th, and both D1Baseball and Perfect Game rank the Huskers 20th. After such an underwhelming performance last time in the rankings, NU will look to prove themselves this time around.
***Opposing teams are batting just .212 against LHP Steve Hajjar and .219 against RHP Cameron Weston. This ranks them seventh and eighth respectively in the Big Ten.
***Michigan’s offense has seen eight different players hit at least five home runs and seven players with at least six homers. The Wolverines have hit six grand slams this season by five different players.
***Sophomore Ted Burton leads the Big Ten in slugging percentage (.732) and ranks second in batting average (.381).
***Nebraska leads the all-time series 14-12, and since joining the Big Ten, the Huskers lead 13-9.
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