How to Watch Nebraska Baseball vs. Omaha, South Dakota State with Preview, Breakdown, Streaming

Although the Nebraska baseball team ultimately fell short against No. 7 Auburn, the Huskers proved their competitiveness in a series that could pay dividends down the road.

However, there was a jubilant start to the three-game slate for NU. Friday starters Ty Horn and Jake Marciano dominated for the first two-and-a-half innings, but the Tigers got to Nebraska's junior right-hander, bruising Horn with a four-run third inning to shoot ahead. The Huskers responded in kind, using RBI doubles from Cole Kitchens and Will Jesske to cut the lead in half in the very next half inning. The Tigers tacked on another run in the fourth to put the score at 5-2, which would remain until the eighth. Veteran shortstop Dylan Carey rocketed a full count pitch to left field for a two-run double before Cole Kitchens followed with his own double to tie the score at five apiece.

The series-opening game required extra innings, and Carey delivered again, rifling a single to left field for the go-ahead run before Jesske's three-run home run stamped a 9-5 lead. Auburn would make it close by putting up three runs in the bottom half of the frame, but Pryce Bender shut the door for the save and a 9-8 Nebraska win.

Unfortunately for the Huskers, they couldn’t sustain that momentum throughout the weekend, falling 15-4 in seven innings on Saturday before dropping a 12-3 decision on Sunday. Auburn’s pitching depth and relentless offensive pressure proved too much for NU, but Nebraska showed that at its best, it can compete with one of the top teams in the country, a belief that should only strengthen as the season progresses.

With the February non-conference schedule done, the Huskers return to the friendly confines of Haymarket Park for their home opener, which begins with a pair of midweek contests against Summit League foes. Here's all you need to know.

How to Follow Along

Game 1

Matchup: Nebraska (5-5, 0-0 B1G) vs. Omaha (4-6, 0-0 Summit League)
When: Tuesday, March 3
Where: Haymarket Park, Lincoln, Neb.
Time: 1:30 p.m. CST
Watch: B1G+
Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

Game 2

Matchup: Nebraska (5-5, 0-0 B1G) vs. South Dakota State (4-7, 0-0 Summit League)
When: Wednesday, March 4
Where: Haymarket Park, Lincoln, Neb.
Time: 1:30 p.m. CST
Watch: B1G+
Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

Probable Pitchers

Tuesday

Nebraska: RHP Cooper Katskee, R-Jr. (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 4.2 IP, 6 SO, 0 BB)
Omaha: LHP Nick Riggs, Soph. (1-0, 6.23 ERA, 2 SO, 1 BB)

Wednesday

Nebraska: RHP Pryce Bender, Soph. (0-0, 2.45 ERA, 3.2 IP, 1 SO, 0 BB)
South Dakota State: RHP Jaren Vogt, Fr. (0-0, 94.50 ERA, 0.2 IP, 1 SO, 2 BB)

Series Histories

Omaha

Nebraska leads the all-time series 64-15.
The Mavericks came away with an 11-9 win in last year's lone matchup in Omaha.

South Dakota State

Nebraska leads the all-time series 18-4
The 2025 showdown was canceled due to weather, robbing the Huskers of a chance at redemption after losing 10-6 to the Jackrabbits in 2024.

Head coach Evan Porter leads his 10th Omaha team that's projected to finish second in the Summit League. | Omaha Athletics

Omaha Scout

Last Season: 20-30 (12-16 Summit League, 4th)
Finish: Did not qualify for the postseason
Awards: Summit League Player of the Year
All-League: 3x First Team, 1x Second Team, 2x Honorable Mention

Head Coach: Evan Porter
Year at School: 10th
Omaha & Career Record: 179-254-2 (.411)
Championships: 1x Summit League regular season (2019), 1x Summit League tournament (2019)
Awards: 2x Summit League Coach OTY (2019, 2024)

All-Conference Returners: Henry Zipay (1st, Player OTY), Tyler Bishop (1st), Jackson Trout (1st), Tanner Foertsch (HM)

Summit League Preseason Poll: 2nd (2 of 6 First-Place Votes)

South Dakota State head coach Rob Bishop enters his 10th season with SDSU while compiling over 700 career wins. | South Dakota State Athletics

South Dakota State Scout

Last Season: 16-36 (12-18 Summit League, 5th)
Finish: Did not qualify for the postseason
All-League: 2x First Team, 4x Second Team, 1x Honorable Mention

Head Coach: Rob Bishop
Year at School: 10th
SDSU Record: 178-245 (.421)
Career Record: 727-567-1 (.561)
Previous Head Coach Stops: Montana State-Billings, Miles City CC, Huron
Championships: 10x MonDak regular season, 2x GNAC regular season, 1x SDIC regular season, 1x NJCAA World Series App.
Awards: 1x SDIC Coach OTY (2000)

All-Conference Returners: Owen Siegert (1st), Nolan Grawe (2nd), Luke Luskey (2nd),

Summit League Preseason Poll: 4th

Outlook

With the February non-conference slate taken care of with a respectable record of 5-5, Nebraska returns home to quickly prepare for its home opener with a pair of midweek games against the Summit League's Omaha and South Dakota State. One of the biggest criticisms of theWill Bolt era during his time with the Huskers has been the lack of winning consistency against lackluster midweek opponents. A 7-5 record in those games last year muted that talking point, but it's an area that will be on high alert all season long, considering the lack of strength that a Big Ten schedule provides when it comes to RPI.

After dropping its lone matchup against Omaha last season, Nebraska seeks redemption against a Mavericks team poised to compete for an NCAA Tournament berth. Tabbed to finish second with two first-place votes in the Summit League preseason poll, Omaha returns the conference's reigning Player of the Year alongside two other All-League First Team picks from a season ago. Third baseman Henry Zipay took home top accolades last season after hitting .384, but he's off to a slow start with a .250 average in 40 at-bats this year. However, that's coming against Arizona State, BYU, Western Michigan, and a four-game slate against receiving votes Wichita State.

Omaha's Henry Zipay returned to the Mavericks after winning last season's Summit League Player of the Year honor. | Omaha Athletics

A Papillion native, Jackson Trout has left off where he finished last year with a team-leading .385 average and eight RBIs through 10 games. Tyler Bishop slugged a career-high nine home runs last year as an All-League First Team pick and was Omaha's leader with 51 RBI, but he's also off to a start with a .250 average. Senior newcomer and Kansas transfer Chase Diggins has picked up the slack as the Australian ranks second on the team in both hits (14) and average (.318). Sophomore lefty Nick Riggs will get the start against NU on Tuesday with a 6.23 ERA in 4.1 innings pitched. His ERA jumped after he spotted two runs to Wichita State in just 2.2 innings on Feb. 28.

SDSU is in the midst of a 2026 campaign with lower expectations than its Summit League counterpart. After the trio of Oral Roberts, Omaha, and St. Thomas, there's a big drop-off to the Jackrabbits in the Summit League Preseason poll, where SDSU is projected fourth. Their core is also built around a trio of all-conference returners.

Owen Siegert emerged as an All-League First Team selection after becoming the team's everyday center fielder as a true freshman, slashing for a .329 average with a team-high 12 stolen bases, five home runs, and 33 RBIs. Nolan Grawe pulled off a similar feat with an All-League Second Team campaign as a freshman. He hit .347 as the team's starter at third base with 69 hits, 12 doubles, and a single-season school record 19-game hitting streak. Rounding out the batch is the power-hitting Luke Luskey, who was named the All-Summit League Second Team for the second-straight year after leading the league with 14 home runs, which happened despite the Minnesota native missing the final 12 games. He has one home run so far in 2026, but it's true freshman Carter Taylor leading the way with a pair of homers, plus a team-high 16 hits, .444 average, and 1.190 OPS in 11 games played.

Owen Siegert emerged as an All-Summit League First Team performer as a true freshman last year for South Dakota State. | South Dakota State Athletics

It'll be interesting to see if the Huskers can get to Jackrabbits starter Jaren Vogt often and early. The true freshman was hammered in his lone midweek start earlier this season against Incarnate Word when he allowed seven runs on four hits while recording just two outs before being pulled. Granted, the final score ended up being a 19-18 loss for SDSU, but surviving for just a couple of innings should be the goal for the young hurler.

As is the case every season, midweek struggles cannot become a recurring issue for the Huskers if they hope to achieve their postseason goals, and that starts with a fast start. NU opened 4-0 in midweek games last year, and although it finished just 7-5, those early wins helped ease the pressure heading into weekend series. It would be a significant development if Katskee can solidify himself as a dependable midweek starter and potentially work his way back into the weekend rotation. Still, a pair of victories before opening Big Ten play against Michigan State should be the expectation, and anything less would be a major disappointment.