How to Watch Nebraska Baseball vs. Rutgers: Preview, Breakdown, TV Channel

Coming off its first series win over a top five opponent since 2011, the hope was for the Nebraska baseball team to use that momentum to create a surge in pushing for an at-large NCAA Regional berth, or at least be more competitive to set themselves up for a conference tournament run. Instead, those wins may end up being a blip on the radar instead of a catalyst.

The Huskers suffered two devastating midweek losses to in-state rivals with a 9-5 defeat to Creighton on Tuesday before a late-inning home run sank NU in an 11-9 loss to Omaha.

Trailing 6-5 to the Bluejays entering the ninth inning, freshman pitcher Pryce Bender and closer Luke Broderick allowed three runs in the top half as pinch hitter Jack Torosian ripped a two-run triple before Ben North stamped the lead with an RBI single. Wednesday against UNO seemed to be even more painful. A five-run fourth inning – highlighted by two RBI doubles – put Nebraska well in control at 9-4, but the Husker pitching staff collapsed allowing seven runs across the next three innings including a two-run blast from Omaha native Drew Borner to break a 9-9 tie and ultimately give the Mavericks the win.

It’s a mentally draining blow for NU who was riding high off the series win over No. 5 Oregon State, and now re-enters conference play with the season teetering on disaster.

Here’s all you need to know as Nebraska hosts Rutgers for Military Weekend at Haymarket Park.

How to Follow Along

Game 1

Matchup: Nebraska (12-17, 2-7 B1G) vs. Rutgers (14-15, 4-5 B1G)
When: Friday, April 4, 2025
Where: Haymarket Park, Lincoln, Neb.
Time: 6 p.m. CDT
Watch: Nebraska Public Media
Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

Game 2

Matchup: Nebraska (12-17, 2-7 B1G) vs. Rutgers (14-15, 4-5 B1G)
When: Saturday, April 5, 2025
Where: Haymarket Park, Lincoln, Neb.
Time: 2 p.m. CDT
Watch: B1G+
Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

Game 3

Matchup: Nebraska (12-17, 2-7 B1G) vs. Rutgers (14-15, 4-5 B1G)
When: Sunday, April 6, 2025
Where: Haymarket Park, Lincoln, Neb.
Time: 12 p.m. CDT
Watch: B1G+
Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

Probable Pitchers

Friday

Nebraska: Will Walsh, LHP, R-Sr. (3-4, 3.76 ERA, 38.1 IP, 16 ER, 31 H, 37 SO, 6 BB) | RU: Justin Shadek, RHP, R-Fr. (0-3, 6.91 ERA, 28.2 IP, 22 ER, 28 H, 25 SO, 16 BB)

Saturday

Nebraska: Ty Horn, RHP, Soph. (0-4, 7.39 ERA, 31.2 IP, 26 ER, 39 H, 33 SO, 10 BB) | RU: Landon Mack, RHP, Fr. (3-2, 3.15 ERA, 34.1 IP, 12 ER, 28 H, 27 SO, 9 BB)

Sunday

Nebraska: Jackson Brockett, LHP, Sr. (0-2, 4.68 ERA, 25.0 IP, 13 ER, 34 H, 17 SO, 10 BB) | RU: Jack Kirchner, RHP, R-Fr. (0-1, 3.09 ERA, 11.2 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 13 SO, 14 BB).

Series History

Nebraska leads the all-time series 13-11 and 11-9 as Big Ten opponents.
The Scarlet Knights won the lone conference series in 2024 and have won every conference series versus the Huskers since 2018. In fact, Rutgers has won 10 of the last 13 games against NU.

Rutgers head coach Steve Owens during the second inning of an NCAA baseball game, Friday, March 26, 2021 at Alexander Field in West Lafayette. Bkc Purdue Vs Rutgers | Nikos Frazier / Journal & Courier via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Rutgers Scout

Last Season: 28-25 (6-18 B1G, 12th); Did not qualify for the postseason.

Head Coach: Steve Owens (146-110 at Rutgers, 6th Season; 1,061-593-3 as HC, 34th)

All-Conference Returners: None.

Program Outlook: Longtime baseball coach Steve Owens is in the midst of his sixth season with Rutgers and hopes to deliver the Scarlet Knight’s fourth-straight season with a record above .500. He has yet to make an NCAA Regional with Rutgers – they certainly won’t this season – but that hasn’t happened since 2007. Plus, the 44-15 record in 2022 marked the most wins in program history and only the fourth time with 40 or more wins.

The Scarlet Knights said goodbye to 2024 Big Ten Player of the Year Josh Kuroda-Grauer who was drafted in the third round of the MLB draft to the Oakland Athletics as well as All-Big Ten Third Team hurler Justin Sinibaldi. As a result, it has been a rebuilding year for Rutgers as they welcome in a youth movement.

Junior outfielder Trevor Cohen has been the bright spot for the Scarlet Knights this season with a team-high .350 average and .912 OPS in all 29 games. Sophomore Ty Doucette provides the power with a team-leading five bombs on the season while hitting .291, but those two are the exceptions to arguably the worst offense in the conference. Rutgers are dead last in home runs (12), RBI (145) and walks (94) while second-to-last in runs (163). Yet, they have the least amount of strikeouts in the league. To provide perspective on how bad that home run total is, Nebraska is right behind the Scarlet Knights with 18 homers to rank 16th in the Big Ten.

Pitching is so much better for RU as they rank inside the top half in most major categories. Owens has gone extremely young for his three-man weekend rotation, which is led by true freshman Landon Mack who has compiled a 3.15 ERA (third in the Big Ten) in seven starts with 27 strikeouts and nine walks. Redshirt freshman Jack Kirchner is a wild thing at 14 walks and 13 strikeouts, but has a 3.09 ERA in 11.2 innings pitched. Fellow redshirt freshman Justin Shadek has been beat around as the Friday starter allowing 22 runs as part of a 6.91 ERA in seven starts. The Scarlet Knights have plenty of firepower coming out of the bullpen with the trio of Luke Fithian (1.35 ERA 13.1 IP)), Quinn Berglin (1.74 ERA in 20.2 IP) and Joe Mazza (3.86 ERA in 21 IP).

A weak offense bodes well for the Nebraska pitching staff who needs its starters to go long after running through 15 pitchers in the two midweek games. Despite the negative vibes, this matchup falls in the Huskers favor. Give me NU to win its first series over the Scarlet Knights in eight years.

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