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Nebraska (23-26, 7-12 Big Ten) at Illinois (29-17, 13-8 Big Ten)
May 17-19, 2018
Illinois Field • Champaign, Ill.
Thursday, May 17 • 6 p.m. (CT)
Video Stream: BTN Plus • Radio: Husker Sports Network
Matt Waldron (6-3) vs. Cyrillo Watson (1-1)
Friday, May 18 • 6 p.m. (CT)
Video Stream: BTN Plus • Radio: Husker Sports Network
Luis Alvarado (3-6) vs. Andy Fisher (5-2)
Saturday, May 19 • 3 p.m. (CT)
TV: Big Ten Network • Radio: Husker Sports Network
Matt Warren (4-4) vs. Ty Weber (4-3)
The Nebraska baseball team wraps up its regular season this week when the Huskers travel to Champaign, Ill., for three games against Illinois. The series opener is set for Thursday at 6 p.m. (CT). The second game will be played on Friday at 6 p.m., and Saturday’s finale is slated for 3 p.m.
Nebraska enters the week in 10th place in the Big Ten standings with a 7-12 record in conference play. The top eight teams based on winning percentage qualify for next week’s Big Ten Tournament at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb. Iowa (10-9) is in seventh, while Maryland (9-11) and Michigan State (9-11) are tied for eighth.
If two teams are tied in the standings at the end of the weekend, the head-to-head series will determine which team gets the spot. If the two teams didn’t play each other or the series was tied, the team with the best winning percentage against Big Ten common opponents within the conference schedule gets the spot. The next step to determine the qualifier, if the two teams are still tied, is the team with the better overall RPI.
How to Listen/Watch the Huskers
Fans can listen to Greg Sharpe, Nick Handley and Ben McLaughlin call the action throughout the season on the Husker Sports Network. Every game this season can be heard on Huskers.com and the Official Nebraska Huskers App for both iOS and android devices.
All three games will be carried on TuneIn.com and the TuneIn App on the Husker IMG Sports Network channel. Fans in Lincoln can listen on 1400 AM and fans in Omaha can listen on 590 AM.
Saturday’s game will be televised on the Big Ten Network with Mike Monaco and Scott Pose calling the action.
The first two games of the series will be streamed live online on BTN Plus. Subscriptions for BTN Plus are available on a monthly or annual basis. A school pass subscription is $79.95 for one year and $9.95 for one month. A conference pass subscription is $119.95 for one year and $14.95 for one month.
Last Time Out
The Huskers won the series opener against Indiana over the weekend, but dropped the final two games of the series at Hawks Field. NU notched a 5-2 triumph on Friday before falling by margins of 6-3 on Saturday and 8-6 on Sunday.
Next Up
If the Huskers qualify for the Big Ten Tournament, they will open play on Wednesday, May 23 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb.
Quick Notes
- Nebraska enters the final week of the regular season with 43 home runs, tied for the second-most in a season under Head Coach Darin Erstad. The most home runs in a season under Erstad was 47 in 2012.
- As a team, the Huskers have drawn 243 walks heading into the final week of the regular season, the most in a season since 2005 when NU drew 307 walks.
- Nebraska has 15 saves this season, marking the eighth consecutive season the Huskers have recorded double-digit saves.
Scouting the Illinois Fighting Illini
- The all-time series between Nebraska and Illinois is tied 8-8, dating back to the first meeting between the schools in 1897. Nebraska is 2-4 when facing the Fighting Illini at Illinois. The two teams last met on April 3, 2016, a 9-7 win for Nebraska at Hawks Field.
- Illinois is 29-17 this season with a 13-8 record in Big Ten play. The Fighting Illini won two of three against Michigan last weekend.
- Head Coach Dan Hartleb is 406-298-1 in his 13th season at Illinois. He is assisted by Drew Dickinson, Adam Christ and Casey Fletcher.
- Players to Watch
» #9 Bren Spillane (Junior OF/INF): Among the Big Ten leaders in several categories, including batting average (.417), home runs (20) and RBIs (55)
» #6 Michael Massey (Sophomore INF): Batting .330 with 15 doubles, three triples, four home runs and 40 RBIs
» #4 Ben Troike (Sophomore INF): Batting .310 with seven doubles, one triple, three home runs and 24 RBIs