Storms not fazing Nebraska baseball ahead of regional opener

STILLWATER, Okla. — Lightning flashed and thunder boomed during a weekday lunch hour in Big 12 country that kept Nebraska baseball players from getting in much outdoor work a day before their NCAA tournament opener.

The Huskers did some light fielding on a practice diamond adjacent to O’Brate Stadium amid steady rain Thursday. Hitters took swings in an indoor batting cage. Pitchers played hacky sack. A few gave interviews while others munched on boxed sub sandwiches.

Four days after dogpiling and celebrating a Big Ten tournament title in Omaha — with a six-hour bus ride in between — second-seeded Nebraska (39-20) brought its game face ahead of Friday’s 2 p.m. clash with third-seeded Florida (28-27).

“What we did this past week doesn’t mean anything for what we’re about to do,” NU catcher Josh Caron said. “I think we’ve kind of turned the page and we’re just focused on the Gators right now.”

The Huskers’ even-keel demeanor stuck out during a short media session stuffed with reminders that the way they approach this weekend won’t be — can’t be — any different than what allowed them to win all but two regular-season weekends this spring. Don’t make the moment too big, ace right-hander Brett Sears said. Stay aggressive at the plate and hunt good pitches early in counts, Caron added.

“When we embrace just that part of it, the competition part of it, then we’re at our best,” Nebraska coach Will Bolt said. “You get in the postseason against big-name teams, big crowds, you start letting that stuff get to the forefront of your mind then you’re not in a good place. But if you just go out and play the game and compete against the baseball, that’s when you’re at your best.”

Sears, who threw 13 pitches Sunday for his first Husker save in the league championship game, said he’ll be fresh and prepared to face a Florida lineup whose 116 home runs are seventh most nationally. The Big Ten Pitcher of the Year — whose 1.64 walks per nine innings ranks 22nd — said the key will be avoiding crooked numbers.

“I think the saying is ‘Solo shots won’t beat you,’ so maybe they’ll get one — maybe two, I don’t know,” Sears said. “But I’m not going to put guys on in front of guys that do that. I think if we just stay in the (strike) zone, stay stingy and switch speeds, I think we’ll be fine.”

Nebraska second baseman Cayden Brumbaugh chose Oklahoma State over Nebraska out of high school and spent his freshman year in 2022 with the Cowboys before transferring to Lincoln. The native of Edmond, Oklahoma, shared a Whataburger meal with former teammates in two-way player Carson Benge and catcher Ian Daugherty on Wednesday night and has played with or against many others on the OSU roster since grade school.

“They had a big part in who I am as a player,” said Brumbaugh, who shared a fist bump with a passing Cowboys staffer. “Developing under the knowledge here was great. I have nothing but respect for this place.”

Brumbaugh recommended Louie’s Bar & Grill and Eskimo Joe’s as Stillwater restaurant stops for traveling Nebraska fans — “other than that, come to the park,” he said.

The infielder is still healing from a left wrist injury that swells up on him when he plays but said it is “getting there.” He also offered some O’Brate Stadium insight for teammates who won’t play on it until warmups Friday.

“The ball flies here,” Brumbaugh said. “We’re going to have to get the ball in the air a little bit. It will reward you. It’s a beautiful field, the grass plays fast. The ball flies — that’s the one intel I can give. If the wind is blowing out, the ball will go.”

Bolt joked he’s not old enough to have Big Eight memories of Oklahoma State but smiled recalling Big 12 battles between the Huskers and Cowboys at the old Allie P. Reynolds Stadium in the early 2000s as NU was becoming a baseball power. Bolt as a sophomore homered off OSU All-American left-hander Matt Smith and stole two bases during one game there in March 2000.

“I potentially remember it,” Bolt said, tongue in cheek. “It may or may not have already been brought up when we got up here.”

The Gators on Friday will throw freshman Liam Peterson, a former top-50 prospect who could have signed with a professional team out of high school. UF coach Kevin O’Sullivan said the 6-foot-5 right-hander has done a “180” during the season. The teen is throwing more breaking pitches for strikes against lefties and his changeup is better than it was in February. Perhaps most notable has been an ability to make pitches with runners in scoring position — he’s allowed a combined four earned runs in 15 1/3 innings in starts against current national seeds Tennessee, Kentucky and Georgia. He owns a 5.83 earned-run average overall.

O’Sullivan said he expects Friday’s crowd to be “pro-Nebraska” in Stillwater. The Florida coach watched Sunday’s Big Ten title game with red filling the stands and flashed back to 2002 when he was an assistant coach at Clemson facing the Huskers and ace Shane Komine at Rosenblatt Stadium in a College World Series opener the Tigers won 11-10.

“I had never felt the type of energy in old Rosenblatt like it was that night,” O’Sullivan said. “It literally felt like the stadium was shaking.”

Florida players said the current Nebraska team and its current ace, Sears, have their attention. They’re not looking to draw walks.

“You’re going to get a lot of good pitches to hit so you’ve just got to be ready for them,” said slugger Jac Caglianone, who is hitting .415 with 29 home runs.

Longtime Florida baseball academics advisor Ann Hughes had a stop at Nebraska early in her career under former NU football coach Tom Osborne and is in Stillwater this week with the Gators. She is the only known Florida player or staffer with a tie to the Cornhusker State.

“Nothing gets past her,” Caglianone said with a smile.