BSB Series Preview: Nebraska at UCLA

Nebraska baseball sophomore utility player Max Buettenback

Nebraska baseball finally got itself back on track over the past week as head coach Will Bolt and Co. head to California holding a three-game win streak.

The Huskers (7-8), 1-2 Big Ten) was stuck in a slump, having lost six of eight games that included a four-game losing streak heading into last Sunday's series finale against Washington.

Nebraska polished off a 6-2 win over the Huskies in that Game 3 home matchup in Lincoln and pushed that momentum into a two-game midweek sweep over Wichita State (10-1 and 5-4) on Tuesday and Wednesday at Hawks Field.

Now, they head out west for a weekend series at UCLA in the two programs' first-ever matchups as part of the Big Ten. The Bruins (13-4, 2-1) are riding an even better hot streak, having won six of their last seven. Following back-to-back losses to Arizona State and No. 14 Vanderbilt, they have rattled off wins over UConn, USC, Michigan, Maryland (won last weekend's Big Ten series vs. the Terps, 2-1) and No. 18 UC Irvine (on Tuesday).

Here is a look at the three-game conference series as Nebraska looks to maintain its own momentum and halt UCLA's:

Nebraska baseball freshman infielder Devin Nunez

Nebraska @ UCLA: How to watch, stream, listen

FRIDAY

Time: 7 p.m. CT

Pitching: LHP WillWalsh (2-2, 2.70 ERA) vs. RHP Cody Delvecchio (0-2, 9.18 ERA)

TV/Streaming: B1G+

Radio: Huskers Radio Network, Huskers.com, Huskers App

**********

SATURDAY

Time: 4 p.m. CT

Pitching: RHP TyHorn (0-2, 7.71 ERA) vs. RHP Michael Barnett (4-0, 4.91 ERA)

TV/Streaming: B1G+

Radio: Huskers Radio Network, Huskers.com, Huskers App

**********

SUNDAY

Time: 3 p.m. CT

Pitching: LHP JacksonBrockett (0-1, 3.29 ERA) vs. RHP Landon Stump (1-0, 4.08 ERA)

TV/Streaming: B1G+

Radio: Huskers Radio Network, Huskers.com, Huskers App

All games will be played at Jackie Robinson Field in Los Angeles

Follow the games

>> All three games of this weekend’s series at UCLA can be seen on B1G+.

>> Fans can also listen to Nick Handley and David Gustafson call the action this weekend on the Huskers Radio Network.

>> Every game this season can be heard for free on Huskers.com and the Official Nebraska Huskers App for both iOS and android devices.

Nebraska vs. UCLA: Series History

>> Through eight all-time meetings, UCLA holds a 6-2 advantage over Nebraska in the all-time series.

>> The two teams last met in a three-game series in Lincoln in 2011, where the Big Red picked up extra-inning victories in games two (2-1, 12) and three (5-4, 11) to claim the series win over the Bruins.

>> This weekend’s series is the first visit to UCLA for the Huskers since Nebraska was swept by the Bruins in a three-game set in 2010.

Nebraska baseball senior infielder Joshua Overbeek

Nebraska Game Notes

Ace pitcher McConnaughey out for season

>> ICYMI: Nebraska announced in the first week in March that junior right-handed pitcher MasonMcConnaughey will miss the remainder of the 2025 season after suffering an arm injury against Sam Houston last weekend.

>> McConnaughey began the season as the first husker named to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List since 2016 and earned Preseason All-American recognition from D1Baseball and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Weekend Rotation

>> With Brett Sears taken in the 2024 MLB Draft, DrewChristo’s transition to the bullpen and MasonMcConnaughey’s season-ending injury, it’s a new-look weekend rotation for the Huskers this year.

>> WillWalsh shifts into the Friday night role for the first time this season against UCLA after compiling a 2-2 record with a 2.70 ERA and 23 punchouts in 20 innings this season.

>> TyHorn is set to take the mound in game two for the Huskers. Horn is 0-2 with a 7.71 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 18.2 innings of work against No. 16 Vanderbilt, Louisiana, No. 2 LSU and Washington.

>> Senior JacksonBrockett is scheduled to start the series finale, holding an 0-1 record with a 3.29 ERA and 12 strikeouts in four appearances this season, including starts against Grand Canyon, Kansas State and Washington.

Walsh among nation's most efficient pitchers

>> WillWalsh comes into the weekend as one of four pitchers nationally, including the only P4 pitcher, with a sub-1.0 walks allowed/9inn., a 0.75-or-less WHIP and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 10-plus.

>> The southpaw recorded a season-high nine punchouts against Washington last weekend has two appearances with six strikeouts against UC Irvine and Sam Houston.

>> Walsh has surrendered just one walk and is holding opponents to a .171 batting average in 20 innings this season.

Nunez pacing Nebraska baseball offense in debut season

>> Through Nebraska’s first 15 games this season, freshman DevinNunez leads the Huskers in hitting (.395), slugging (.632), homers (3) and on-base percentage (.439).

>> The freshman has appeared in 11 games, including eight starts, and is one of four Huskers with 10-plus runs driven in this season.

>> Nunez is the Big Red’s leading hitter against lefties, righties and with two outs and holds the second-best batting average on the team with runners on base and runners in scoring position.

Six is the lucky number for Huskers

>> Nebraska is 110-23 under WillBolt when scoring at least six runs.

>> The Big Red have scored six-plus runs in six of the seven victories this season, defeating No. 16 Vanderbilt (6-4), San Diego State (13-0), Louisiana (6-1), Washington (6-2) and Wichita State (10-1).

>> The Husker offense reached the six-run mark 34 times last season, compiling a 28-6 record.

>> Nebraska scored six-plus runs in 33 contests (26-7) in 2023 after tallying at least six runs 23 times (19-4) in 2022, 28 times (26-2) in 2021 and seven times (5-2) in 2020.

Swansen inching closer to program's all-time HR list

>> With 29 career homers in his time at Nebraska, GabeSwansen needs six more homers in 2025 to reach the top 10 in career home runs by a Husker.

>> In his time in Lincoln, Swansen has hit .270 at the plate with 23 doubles, 29 home runs, 99 RBI and 73 runs scored in 121 career games.

>> The Johnston, Iowa, native paced the Husker offense in the postseason last year, hitting .500 (19-of-38) with six doubles, seven homers, 16 RBI and 10 runs scored in NU’s nine postseason games in the Big Ten Tournament and Stillwater Regional.

Pitching staff's youth movement

>> The NU pitching staff has seen four true freshmen put up strong outings to begin their time at Nebraska on the mound this season.

>> Pryce Bender, Colin Nowaczyk, Gavin Blachowicz and Blake Encarnacion have combined to deal 15.2 innings, allowing just three runs on 13 hits with 13 punchouts and seven walks.

Top bats in Husker lineup

>> DevinNunez is slashing .395/.439/.632 with a team-leading three homers, 10 RBI and eight runs scored in 11 games, including eight starts this season.

>> CaydenBrumbaugh has scored a team-high 15 runs and is second on the team with a .333 batting average while tallying a team-high six multi-hit contests this season.

>> CaseSanderson is hitting .267 with a pair of doubles and has drawn a team-leading 11 walks this season, while WillJesske is batting .250 with two doubles, a triple and four runs scored on the year.

>> DylanCarey has a team-high four doubles and is second on the team with six extra-base hits this season, followed by GabeSwansen with three doubles, five extra-base hits and a team-leading 14 RBI.

>> JoshuaOverbeek and RhettStokes have split time in the lineup this season. Overbeek has doubled three times and scored six runs, while Stokes has pieced together a pair of multi-hit performances this year.

>> MaxBuettenback is one of six Huskers with multiple homers on the year, homering twice this season and scoring eight runs in 26 at-bats.

>> CaelFrost has made 13 starts in the lineup this season, reaching base safely in all 13 starts for the Huskers.

Bullpen Breakdown

>> LukeBroderick has appeared in five games for the NU bullpen, picking up three saves against No. 16 Vanderbilt, Washington and Wichita State.

>> JalenWorthley and DrewChristo have appeared in a team-high six relief appearances. Worthley is 1-0 in 7.1 innings of work, while Christo struck out six in three one-run innings vs. Washington on Sunday to improve to 1-1 on the year.

>> CalebClark has pitched 3.1 shutout innings across five relief appearances, followed by three shutout frames in two appearances from CaseyDaiss.

>> Freshmen PryceBender, ColinNowaczyk, GavinBlachowicz and BlakeEncarnacion have combined to allow just three runs in 15.2 innings in their debut season at Nebraska.

>> GrantCleavinger tallied a season-high four punchouts in 1.2 innings of action vs. Wichita State, while RyanHarrahill hasn’t allowed a run in 2.1 innings across three relief appearances on the year.

>> CarsonJasa and TJCoats are available out of the bullpen after making midweek starts vs. Wichita State this week. Jasa tossed five shutout frames with eight strikeouts and just two hits allowed, while Coats allowed a pair of runs on two hits with three strikeouts in two innings of work against the Shockers.

All stats & info provided by Nebraska Athletics

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BSB Series Preview: Nebraska at UCLA