Nebraska baseball has shot at needed Quad 1 win this weekend at Rutgers

Where: Bainton Field, Piscataway, New Jersey

Radio: Huskers Radio Network

5 p.m. Friday: RHP Brett Sears (6-0, 1.14 ERA) vs. LHP Justin Sinibaldi (4-0, 2.68)

3 p.m. Saturday: RHP Mason McConnaughey (3-2, 2.86) vs. RHP Jake Marshall (1-1, 4.97)

11 a.m. Sunday: RHP Drew Christo (1-2, 4.84) vs. RHP Christian Coppola (4-3, 6.38)

Limiting free bases has been key to the resurgence of Husker pitching this year. Mostly that means avoiding walks — NU is dispensing just 2.93 per game this season, good for sixth nationally. But Nebraska has quietly been equally elite at shutting down action on the basepaths. Opponents have stolen just nine bases against Nebraska (tied for second nationally) and only attempted 15, which is fewer than against every Division I team except Coastal Carolina. Pitching coach Rob Childress emphasizes pitchers giving baserunners different looks and pick plays while varying delivery times throwing home. Catcher Josh Caron has also been a deterrent. “You don’t just come set and pick the same way every time — you’ve got to mix up your looks,” NU coach Will Bolt said. “Obviously Josh has done a nice job as well.” Rutgers leads the Big Ten in stolen bases with 64.

Cayden Brumbaugh is likely to return to second base for the first time in nearly six weeks in his comeback from an arm injury, which will allow the Huskers to be more flexible with how they use the designated hitter spot. NU’s offense has been hot and cold coming off an 11-run performance in a loss at Kansas. Defense is also ticking up slightly this month despite allowing five unearned runs Tuesday. “This team has yet to peak,” Bolt said. “I believe that wholeheartedly.”

The Scarlet Knights still haven’t quite broken that postseason drought dating back to 2007. They were the biggest NCAA tournament snub with 44 wins in 2022 before a late fade last year cost them an at-large bid. This version of Rutgers has star power and supporting stats — it is top 70 in scoring, earned-run average and fielding percentage — yet somehow carries a five-game Big Ten losing streak after being swept at home by Purdue. An RPI of 52 and every league loss by three runs or fewer remind that the team of fifth-year coach Steve Owens still has a high ceiling.

A dynamic offense starts with junior shortstop Joshua Kuroda-Grauer who is among the nation’s individual leaders in average (.423, 14th), hits (58, third) and steals (18, 22nd) while owning more walks (12) than strikeouts (eight). Five others join him hitting .340 or better within a lineup that will also sacrifice (23 bunts, 23rd), run (64 steals, 29th) and slug (.474, 83rd). Third baseman Tony Santa Maria — who sat out last year with an injury — boasts a team-best nine home runs.

The rotation continues to be a work in progress. Sinibaldi trails only Nebraska’s Sears as ERA leader in the Big Ten in his fourth year as an RU starter but last year’s ace, Coppola, has regressed and the fifth-year senior Marshall — a co-closer until now — will make his first start of the spring.

* Of the top 35 RPI teams entering Thursday, only Nebraska (0-3) is without a Quadrant 1 win. Getting them on the road means beating a top-60 RPI team — Rutgers is 52. The Huskers will also have likely future Q1 opportunities at Creighton and against Kansas State.

* The weekend encounter is reminiscent of 2021 when a ranked and league-leading Nebraska team hosted Rutgers with an eye toward hosting an NCAA regional. The Scarlet Knights instead swept the series as NU ultimately fell to a No. 2 tournament seed. “They’re going to be very, very motivated to dig themselves out a little bit in the conference standings,” Bolt said of Rutgers. “But it’s still really, really early and they’re a 20-win team already so they’re doing some things really, really well, obviously.”

* Nebraska got back to Lincoln after 1 a.m. following Tuesday’s game at Kansas. The Huskers are trying to avoid their first three-game skid of the season Friday, though players refuse to zoom out any further than the next challenge. “The game owes you nothing,” outfielder Cole Evans said. “We just continue to work hard, put our head down, go to work. We’re just consistent about that.”