Nebraska baseball will play Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal round Friday at 5 p.m. CT.
The No. 7-seeded Wolverines defeated No. 10 Rutgers on Tuesday, fell to No. 11 Washington on Wednesday and stayed alive in the tournament with a win over No. 6 Ohio State Thursday night.
The No. 2 Huskers are coming off a full week of rest, but their matchup with Michigan will be a win-or-go-home game, as all eight teams left now enter the single elimination portion of the contest.
Nebraska is looking to win its third consecutive Big Ten Tournament title, but it first must defeat a team it has not played in nearly two months.
The Huskers won their regular-season series against the Wolverines 2-1 on the road in late March, and the odds appear even more in their favor with Michigan having played three consecutive days entering Friday’s game.
Here is a preview of the quarterfinal matchup:
Jasa ready for another Friday start
Unlike recent Big Ten Tournaments, Nebraska will not have to worry as much about stretching its bullpen thin before the weekend.
With the conference tournament’s new format — the third different format in as many years — Nebraska ace redshirt sophomore right-hander Carson Jasa has the luxury of treating Friday’s game like a regular-season start.
Last week, Jasa allowed six hits and four runs through 4.2 innings against Minnesota. Despite the disappointing outing, the Huskers were still able to win and complete a sweep of the Golden Gophers.
Nebraska enters the tournament on a seven-game winning streak, and the pressure of continuing that streak while keeping its regional-host hopes alive lies on Jasa’s shoulders.
Wolverines hoping to rely on arms in fourth game in four days
While Nebraska waited to learn its opponent for Friday, Michigan’s pitching rotation continued battling through the tournament in Omaha.
Freshman left-hander Shane Brinham threw a complete-game shutout against the Buckeyes on Thursday, recording 11 strikeouts.
His complete game means the Huskers could face pitchers the Wolverines initially planned to use Thursday night but were instead able to rest.
Redshirt freshman right-hander Erik Puodziunas and sophomore right-hander Tate Carey are potential starters, but it is difficult to predict who Michigan will send to the mound in its fourth game in four days.
No matter who starts opposite Jasa, Michigan could still replicate the success Brinham had against Ohio State. Nebraska may have more rest and a shorter trip to Charles Schwab Field, but Michigan’s two wins there this week show it knows how to win there.
First pitch Friday is set for 5 p.m. CT, and the game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
