Nebraska baseball steps out of Big Ten play for Saturday twin bill in Texas

Here is everything you need to know about Nebraska baseball’s Saturday games against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Abilene Christian.

Where: Crutcher Scott Field, Abilene, Texas.

Radio: Huskers Radio Network.

Video stream: WAC Digital Network.

1 p.m. vs. TAMU-CC: LHP Emmett Olson (4-1, 3.68 ERA) vs. RHP Colin Purcell (2-1, 3.50).

5 p.m. vs. Abilene Christian: RHP Jace Kaminska (5-0, 2.06) vs. RHP Breck Eichelberger (3-0, 3.62).

It’s a “circumstance” weekend for the Huskers, who fly from Omaha to Dallas and bus another 180 miles after that — all for a Saturday doubleheader during their off weekend in the 13-team Big Ten.

NU’s attempt to bring a Big East school to Haymarket Park fell through — as did an attempt to play there — so Nebraska coaches tapped into their Texas connections to play in the Lone Star State for a fifth straight spring.

“It definitely was interesting practicing Friday morning before we go and travel,” outfielder Gabe Swansen said. “But I think we’re all ready for the challenge and opportunity to play this weekend.”

Nebraska will roll with its pair of aces as usual, though it won’t hesitate to use southpaw Will Walsh — potentially in line to start a week from Sunday — or whomever else as necessary.

Coach Will Bolt said the team has begun to settle on its most trusted relievers as veterans Jake Bunz and Kyle Perry get sharper while fully recovering from serious arm injuries.

“Not to put too much on those two guys but I think they’re a big piece of the puzzle once we settle in on the top 8-10 arms that we’re going to typically rely on,” Bolt said.

Seven Huskers are hitting .300 or better during the last 10 games, with none hotter than Brice Matthews (.351 average, four homers, 20 RBIs).

Rare is the team nearly halfway through a season that has twice as many triples (18) as home runs (nine). Such are the Islanders, sporting a throwback offense with a top-25 collective batting average (.314) but only so-so scoring punch (6.8 runs/game, 134th) while leaning on speed and sacrifices.

Brendan Ryan (.364, 11 steals) is the focal point, with Tre Jones (.330, three homers) and Chance Reisdorph (.365) as other key bats.

Pitching has been average (5.84 ERA, 149th) and defense has been below that (.962 fielding percentage, 212th) within a soft nonconference schedule for the Southland Conference school in its 24th season with baseball.

Corpus Christi finished 27-28 last spring.

The Wildcats transitioned to Division I athletics a decade ago, and this year’s group is on pace to be their best in that span.

The Western Athletic Conference club beat Baylor in extra innings Tuesday and topped Oklahoma in a midweek game last month while winning all six of its weekend series — albeit as part of one of DI’s weakest schedules.

Garrett Williams (.394 average) leads a top-100 scoring lineup while Grayson Tatrow (.364, seven homers, 34 RBIs) and Miller Ladusau (.330) are also among six hitters above .300.

The offense collectively will get on base (.407 OBP, 54th nationally) and swipe bags (1.52/game, 76th).

ACU also boasts the nation’s second-best fielding percentage (.988) that has allowed just eight unearned runs this spring.

Eichelberger is a former junior college transfer who has started 11 games for ACU with a career 3.83 ERA.

* Nebraska has faced Abilene Christian once before, getting shut out in 1974.

It is 4-2 all-time against Corpus Christi but lost a weekend series to the Islanders last season that included a 21-4 defeat that was the Huskers’ most lopsided home loss in 30 years.

NU reserve outfielder Daniel Young redshirted at ACU in 2020.

* Nebraska has filled its Big Ten off weekends in recent seasons with home series including BYU, Arizona State, Nevada and Nicholls.

* The Saturday forecast calls for temperatures in the high 70s and mostly sunny skies.

* Bolt, a native Texan, has never been to Abilene — a central Texas community of about 125,000 — before this weekend.