The Nebraska baseball club (26-16, 8-4 Big Ten) experienced perhaps the highest highs and lowest lows during its 2014 campaign this week alone.
Getting revenge on Kansas State for earlier beatings and drubbing UNO at home by a combined score of 31-11 was sweet. Losing a series to the worst team in the conference was rancid. Perhaps what was more shocking was how the bats that made Nebraska look College World Series-caliber went dead against the Big Ten’s Wildcats.
Opening the series with a 2-1 12-inning loss that took a toll mentally and physically set the tone for the Big Red’s weekend. The Saturday doubleheader set up due to forecasted inclement weather offered another close heartbreaker in a game two 3-2 loss, but the Huskers wouldn’t be denied with a 10-9 game three win.
Nebraska can take a positive away from the weekend. The Big Red had to come roaring back from a six run deficit to earn the series’ only win. Northwestern (10-15, 4-10 Big Ten) had nothing to lose and everything to gain. They masterfully took advantage of the Huskers’ mental errors when they had the chance.
Despite other areas of Nebraska’s game breaking down over the weekend, pitching remained a strong point.
Here’s where everything sits in the Big Ten following the past week’s action:
| Big Ten | Overall | |||
| Team | Record | Pct. | Record | Pct. |
| 1. Indiana | 11-1 | .917 | 25-11 | .694 |
| 2. Illinois | 9-3 | .750 | 21-14 | .600 |
| 3. Nebraska | 8-4 | .667 | 26-16 | .619 |
| 4. Michigan | 8-7 | .533 | 18-21-1 | .463 |
| 5. Iowa | 7-8 | .467 | 22-15 | .595 |
| 6. Penn State | 5-6 | .455 | 17-19 | .472 |
| 7. Michigan State | 5-7 | .417 | 20-17 | .541 |
| 8. Minnesota | 6-9 | .400 | 19-16 | .543 |
| 9. Ohio State | 4-8 | .333 | 22-18 | .550 |
| Purdue | 4-8 | .333 | 9-26 | .257 |
| 11. Northwestern | 4-10 | .286 | 10-25 | .286 |
Nebraska now gets a nice, long rest as they won’t play again until next week’s series in Ann Arbor against Michigan. Considering how tight the 2-5 conference spots are, this is a must-win series.
The Huskers also likely need to take every conference series through the rest of the regular season to pour white out on the Northwestern blotch.
Nebraska has an excellent opportunity to jump a spot in the conference rankings as Indiana faces Illinois. The Hoosiers have been mowing down nearly every opponent they’ve been facing lately. Even better, Nebraska won’t be one of them during the regular season.
Michigan traveled to face Purdue and won the series 2-1. A 7-6 12-inning victory was followed by a 6-2 loss. The Wolverines did massive damage in the rubber game, downing the Boilermakers 13-3. They begin a five game homestand which includes a game against Bowling Green before Nebraska comes to town.
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