Baseball weekend preview: Michigan State
After being swept at Michigan, the Nebraska baseball team has gone 6-2 over their last eight games, highlighted by weekend series wins against Nicholls State and Rutgers. None of the game over that stretch would constitute as quality wins, but the Huskers have gotten much better pitching the last two weekends out of their rotation.
Can they continue down that stretch at No. 24 Michigan State? The Huskers (28-16, 9-6) will travel to East Lansing to take on arguably the best Spartan (28-16, 10-5) NU has seen since joining the Big Ten in 2011.
With not much separation in the Big Ten standings, this series has huge implications on the conference standings.
Probable starters
Saturday, May 7 (12:05 p.m. CT) RHP Derek Burkamper (4-1) vs. RHP Eathon Landon (6-1)
Sunday, May 8 (12:05 p.m. CT) RHP Matt Waldron (5-1) vs. LHP Joe Mockbee (1-0)
Monday, May 9 (12:02 p.m. CT) LHP Jake Meyers (3-1) vs. TBA
***All three games will be broadcast on 1400 AM in Lincoln and 590 AM in Omaha. Sunday's game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
What to watch for
Big Ten road success: Since joining the Big Ten Nebraska has a 12-7 record in Big Ten Conference road series. Their only other trip to East Lansing in Big Ten play came in 2014 when the Huskers swept the Spartans. MSU has never played a series in Lincoln in five years of Big Ten conference play.
Logjam in the standings: Nebraska is currently tied with Maryland for fifth place in the Big Ten standings and they are just 1 game back of Michigan State, who sits in third place. Despite being swept at Michigan, the Huskers are also just 2.5 games behind league leader Minnesota. With series against Michigan State, Penn State and Indiana remaining, the Big Red very much remains in the thick of things.
Can Meyers continue to pitch strong?: Maybe the biggest surprise the last three weekends for Nebraska is what they've been able to get out of their new Sunday starter Jake Meyers, who also plays every day in the outfield for the Big Red.
Meyers is not stretched out at this point to operate on a high pitch count, but he's been excellent his last three outings. Here's the line on Meyers his last three starts: 16.2 innings, 1 earned run, 8 strikeouts and a 0.56 ERA. If he can give NU another solid outing Sunday it will go a long way this weekend.
Know your enemy
***Michigan State started the season red hot, winning 13 of their first 14 games. They've been 17-10 since, but they've won four of five Big Ten series, including taking two of three at Michigan last weekend. Their lone setback in the series was a 7-6 loss in 11 innings.
***Because of final exams, Nebraska did not travel to East Lansing until Friday. This is the only Saturday-Sunday-Monday series in the Big Ten this weekend.
***MSU DH Zach McGuire comes into this weekend as the reigning Big Ten offensive player of the week. McGuire hit .545 last week, including 1 home run, 3 doubles, 5 RBI and a .929 slugging percentage.
***Statistically there may not be a better pitching staff in the Big Ten than Michigan State. The Spartans rank No. 1 in ERA (2.50), No. 2 in opponents batting average (.232) and No. 3 in strikeouts (347).