The Nebraska baseball team has done a lot of sitting and waiting this week. After securing a Top 4 seed in the Big Ten tournament last weekend, they (as well as Oregon, UCLA, and USC) sat and watched the lower seeds of the conference battle it out for the chance to make it to the single-elimination portion of the tournament. One day away from their first game, NU knows that whoever it plays on Friday, it will need to shake off the rust and get back to the "Black and Blue Big Red" approach the offense had all season long.
The newest nickname for Will Bolt's boys comes from the fact that they've set a school record this season in getting hit by pitches. While some teams might get annoyed at getting drilled that often (119 HBPs rank 12th nationally), the Cornhuskers know that getting on base can spark their offense. It has, in fact, sparked one of the best offenses in the Big Ten.
Nebraska's incredible comeback against Minnesota last Friday was sparked by Drew Grego absorbing a pitch to set the table. Mac Moyer and Jeter Worthley were drilled during last Thursday’s pivotal seven-run sixth.
The seven-run eighth inning in the middle game of the series against Iowa had not one, not two, but three hit batters. Two comeback wins against Maine featured HBPs. Grego’s grand slam against USC to secure the series sweep came one batter after Jett Buck was beaned to load the bases.
Will Bolt has Nebraska baseball using hit-by-pitches to spark a relentless offense
“The ball will find you,” Joshua Overbeek said, according to the Omaha World-Herald. “A lot of times it’s a joy pain. It’s not too bad and sometimes takes your mind off the game so you’re not overthinking. Sometimes it’s a blessing, honestly.”
Overbeek would know. He leads Nebraska in HBP with 18 this season. Case Sanderson (15), Grego (13), Buck (12), and Dylan Carey (11) are also into double-digits while Mac Moyer (7) barely trails the first group. Overbeek, who is not just a leader in getting hit but also seen as a leader in general, really does set the tone. The rest of the Huskers know he sees absorbing a ball now and then as part of the game and a good way to get things going.
“Beek won’t get out of the way; he’ll just stand there,” Worthley said. “It could be coming at his head, it could be coming at his ankle and he just stands there.”
It's safe to say that the gritty way Nebraska plays bean balls extends to how it plays the game in general. The Huskers will do whatever it takes to try to win. Even when they enter the ninth inning down five runs and have scored only one run the rest of the game, it's not over until it's over. There's no quit. Pain is real, but it doesn't make the Huskers back away. That's why this edition of Will Bolt's squad could make a kind of run Lincoln hasn't seen in years.
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