Around the Horn: Nebraska baseball set for weekend series against USC
Nebraska baseball (9-11, 1-5) concludes its lengthy California trip with a weekend series against USC (12-8, 2-4). The Huskers are still in search of their first conference series victory after being swept by UCLA last weekend.
With two mid-week wins over Pepperdine, Nebraska built some much-needed offensive momentum, but USC poses a significantly tougher matchup. The Trojans are fresh off a victory over Arizona State and a series win against Michigan.
Here’s more on the weekend including an opponent preview, pitching matchups, the biggest storylines and broadcast information:
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Projecting Nebraska’s pitching matchups
Friday at 8:30 p.m: LHP Will Walsh (2-3, 3.42 ERA, 26.1 IP, 29 K) vs. LHP Caden Hunter (3-1, 2.77 ERA, 26.0 IP, 31 K)
Saturday at 4 p.m: RHP Ty Horn (0-3, 7.54 ERA, 22.2 IP, 24 K ) vs. RHP Caden Aoki (2-1, 4.23 ERA, 27.2 IP, 27 K)
Sunday at 2 p.m: LHP Jackson Brockett (0-1, 4.00 ERA, 18.0 IP, 13 K) vs. RHP Grant Govel (1-2, 8.16 ERA, 14.1 IP, 15 K)
Weekend storylines to watch
Can Nebraska’s bats stay hot?
Nebraska finally found some rhythm at the plate against Pepperdine, racking up 20 runs on 23 hits over the two contests. The Huskers scored at least one run in 11 total innings and avoided the cold streaks which cost them against UCLA.
The bottom of Nebraska’s order, Riley Silva, Robby Bolin and Hogan Helligso, gave the Huskers a much-needed boost against Pepperdine. Those three combined for eight hits and four RBIs on Tuesday and Wednesday, reaching base in a variety of different ways.
Tyler Stone and Dylan Carey both had excellent mid-week showings as well, combining for six hits, five RBIs and three home runs. With Gabe Swansen out of the lineup, Nebraska seems to have found consistency in the batting order. Will it carry over into the weekend?
Ty Horn’s response
Right-hander Ty Horn has been on the losing end of back-to-back Saturday blowouts. After allowing seven runs and seven hits to Washington in the front end of a doubleheader, he gave up six hits and two home runs to UCLA last Saturday.
Horn only lasted four innings in both outings and has not pitched five frames since February 22nd. The sophomore has an excellent bounce-back opportunity against USC, the second-lowest scoring team in the Big Ten. Nebraska simply can’t afford another 11-run outing by a Saturday opponent.
Freshman pitchers emerging
Freshman pitchers Gavin Blachowicz and Pryce Bender have shined for Nebraska’s bullpen thus far. Bender had not allowed a run until Tuesday night, while Blachowicz threw 2.1 frames of stellar work on Wednesday.
Veteran arms Drew Christo and Jalen Worthley have had their ups and downs this season. Christo got off to a rocky start but has only allowed two runs over his last seven innings of work. Worthley struggled against Washington and UCLA, allowing six runs and five hits in just 1.1 frames. If Blachowicz and Bender can take another step, Nebraska’s bullpen is well-positioned entering the latter half of the season.
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Know the Foe
***Player to watch: Pitcher Ethan Hedges
Hedges does it all for USC. At the plate, he ranks top-20 in the Big Ten with a .368 batting average, 28 hits and 23 RBIs. Hedges has reached base in all of the Trojans’ games and has tallied a hit in five straight outings. On the mound, he’s racked up six saves, the most in the Big Ten. Hedges has hit a home run and earned a save in the same game three times this season.
***USC won three of its last four entering this weekend but fell apart in an 11-0 run-rule loss to Michigan on Sunday. The Trojans staring pitcher, Grant Govel, gave up seven runs and eight hits in just two innings before being pulled. USC couldn’t find any momentum at the plate with only five knocks on the day. The contest ended after seven innings due to the Big Ten’s 10-run rule.
***The Trojans hit three home runs in a 6-3 win over Arizona State on Tuesday. Dean Carpentier and Brayden Dowd both hit two-run shots, and Hedges added a third while also recording the save. They held the Sun Devils’ offense, which averages 8.0 runs per game, to three runs while stranding seven runners on base.
***Friday starter Caden Hunter has the 10th-best ERA in the Big Ten and a WHIP of 1.27. The transfer from Sierra College pitched a season-high 6.2 innings last Friday against Michigan and was stellar. He gave up three hits and one run while striking out four in the victory.
***The Trojans also faced common opponents UC Irvine and Vanderbilt in non-conference play. USC won both, including a 3-1 victory over the Commodores in which Saturday starter Caden Aoki posted seven innings without an earned run. He gave up just four hits and struck out a career-high 10 batters. Aoki followed that outing with another 7-inning day against Michigan last Saturday.
***Outfielder Brayden Dowd is USC’s most productive hitter outside of Hedges. In 72 at-bats, Dowd has racked up 24 hits and 13 RBI, including six doubles and four home runs.
***Most of USC’s home games in 2025 will be played at Great Park in Irvine due to renovations at their home stadium, Dedeaux Field. As a result, all of the Trojans’ home games are free and open to the public.
Around the Big Ten
Here are a few Big Ten series to keep tabs on this weekend as well as the conference standings. Records are as of Wednesday evening:
Series:
Indiana (12-9, 4-2) @ UCLA (16-4, 5-1)
Michigan (11-9, 3-3) @ Purdue (18-2, 2-1)
Michigan State (14-6, 1-2) @ Penn State (15-5, 4-2)
Standings:
| Team | Conference Record | PCT | Overall Record | PCT | Home | Away | Neutral | L10 | Streak |
| Oregon | 5-1 | .883 | 17-4 | .810 | 2-1 | 3-0 | 0-0 | 8-2 | L1 |
| UCLA | 5-1 | .833 | 16-4 | .800 | 3-0 | 2-1 | 3-0 | 9-1 | W5 |
| Idiana | 4-2 | .667 | 12-9 | .571 | 4-2 | 3-3 | 5-4 | 7-3 | W5 |
| Iowa | 4-2 | .667 | 11-8 | .579 | 4-2 | 3-3 | 2-4 | 7-3 | W2 |
| Penn State | 4-2 | .667 | 15-5 | .750 | 4-2 | 9-2 | 2-1 | 6-4 | L1 |
| Purdue | 2-1 | .667 | 18-2 | .900 | 4-0 | 3-1 | 11-1 | 8-2 | W4 |
| Washington | 2-1 | .667 | 9-13 | .409 | 2-4 | 4-6 | 3-3 | 5-5 | W1 |
| Michigan | 3-3 | .500 | 11-9 | .550 | 2-3 | 3-2 | 6-4 | 5-5 | L1 |
| Illinois | 1-2 | .333 | 11-7 | .611 | 5-1 | 2-1 | 4-5 | 6-4 | W2 |
| Maryland | 1-2 | .333 | 11-10 | .524 | 4-3 | 3-5 | 4-2 | 5-5 | W1 |
| Michigan State | 1-2 | .333 | 14-6 | .700 | 1-1 | 2-2 | 11-3 | 5-5 | W1 |
| Minnesota | 2-4 | .333 | 9-10 | .474 | 4-3 | 4-5 | 1-2 | 5-5 | W2 |
| Northwestern | 1-2 | .333 | 8-10 | .444 | 1-2 | 4-7 | 3-1 | 3-7 | W1 |
| Rutgers | 1-2 | .333 | 9-12 | .429 | 5-4 | 4-8 | 0-0 | 5-5 | L2 |
| USC | 2-4 | .333 | 12-8 | .600 | 6-4 | 6-4 | 0-0 | 3-7 | W1 |
| Nebraska | 1-5 | .167 | 9-11 | .450 | 3-2 | 3-6 | 3-3 | 5-5 | W2 |
| Ohio State | 0-3 | .000 | 6-12 | .333 | 5-1 | 0-6 | 1-5 | 5-5 | W1 |
Broadcast Information
TV: Friday: FS1: HERE
TV: Saturday/Sunday: Big Ten Plus: HERE
Radio: Huskers Radio Network (Radio simulcast found HERE)
