Nebraska Cornhuskers set for high-stakes day on the diamond

It’s hard to imagine a bigger night on the diamond for the Nebraska Cornhuskers than what we will see Friday night.

The Nebraska softball team, fresh off a 3-0 performance by a combined 32-3 at the Baton Rouge Regional, will take on seventh-seeded Tennessee on the road Friday night in the first game of a best-of-three Super Regional.

Thanks to the stellar performance of Jordy Bahl, who hit four home runs last weekend and didn’t get out at the plate throughout three games, the Nebraska Cornhuskers advanced to the Super Regional for the first time since 2014.

Bahl, the Big Ten Pitcher and Player of the Year, allowed just two hits and one run in 12 innings pitched. She’ll square off against Karlyn Pickens, a pitcher for Tennessee with 22 wins and a 0.90 ERA. She was Softball America’s Pitcher of the Year.

Nebraska defeated Tennessee 7-1 earlier this season. Bahl allowed one run on five hits in seven innings of work. She’ll need to be elite on Friday, facing a lineup that includes Taylor Pannell, Kiki Milloy, and McKenna Gibson.

Payton Gottshall is another stellar arm for the Vols, who have the deeper rotation. Nebraska also has more weapons than Bahl. Nebraska has set program records for extra-base hits, runs, and home runs. Ava Kuszak and Olivia DiNardo were also All-Region selections. Samantha Bland, Hannah Camenzind, and Kacie Hoffman will also have key roles for the Nebraska Cornhuskers at the dish.

The first game is on Friday at 6 PM CST on ESPN2. Game two will be on Saturday at 4 PM CST on ESPN.

Nebraska Cornhuskers’ baseball season is on the line

Three of the four semifinal spots have been clinched in the Big Ten tournament. Nebraska or Oregon will clinch the other Friday night in Omaha.

Nebraska will square off against Oregon at approximately 6 p.m. CST. The Ducks are going to send out their ace, Grayson Grinsell, against Nebraska, which will answer with Jackson Brockett.

The winner advances to the Big Ten semifinals on Saturday. A loss would likely mean the season is over for Nebraska baseball, which isn’t expected to qualify for the NCAA tournament as an at-large team. Big Ten Network will have the game.

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