The Nebraska baseball team opens postseason play tonight at 7:00 at the Fayetteville Regional in Arkansas. The No. 2 seed, the Huskers are taking on the 3rd seed Northeastern in the opening round of the four-team, double-elimination regional. The Huskers earned an automatic big by winning the Big Ten regular season title. They enter postseason play winners of 11 of their last 13. Northeastern earned an automatic bid by winning their first ever Colonial Athletic Association Tournament title. The Huskies had to battle back through the loser’s bracket of their conference tournament, going 4-1 over a four-day span, including walk-off 10th inning home run in the championship game against UNC Wilmington. The Huskers and Huskies play tonight at 7:00. Today’s other contest features the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed, Arkansas, taking on the No. 4 seed the New Jersey Institute of Technology Highlanders at 2:00.
One other Husker baseball note:
Big Ten Player of the Year, Spencer Schwellenbach, was named a second-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Thursday. The Husker shortstop and reliever was tabbed as the utility player. He enters the postseason batting .289 with 12 doubles, six home runs and 35 RBIs in 43 games. On the mound, he ended the regular season tied for the conference lead in saves with nine, with an ERA of 0.71.
The first of four Husker recruiting camps is taking place tonight at Memorial Stadium. Many of the Husker’s top national, and in-state, recruiting targets will be at tonight’s Friday Night Lights event. Husker fans are welcome to attend, free of charge. The gates will open at 5:00, the camp begins at 6:00 and should wrap up around 8:00. All seating is limited to West Stadium in sections 21-31, and fans are not allowed on the field at any time. The concourse will not be accessible and concession stands will not be open, though fans will be allowed to bring limited food and non-alcoholic beverages. Restrooms will be available. The Clear Bag Policy will also be in effect. The second and final Friday Night Lights event will be held June 18th. The 7-on-7 camp will be held June 13th, and the Adidas Pipeline camp on June 19th.
In recruiting news:
The Huskers are expecting eight official visitors on campus this weekend. Former Ohio State defensive back Tyreke Johnson was in Lincoln yesterday, visiting the campus. The 6-1, 190-pound Johnson was a former five-star prospect out of Jacksonville (Fla.) Trinity International, which is the same high school that produced current Husker safety Deontai Williams. Johnson signed with the Buckeyes in 2018 and redshirted that season. He played in a total of 12 games over the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
Nebraska Athletics is set to introduce #NILbraska. This project will prepare student-athletes to take advantage of upcoming Name, Image and Likeness legislation. Nebraska launched the Ready Now program in March of 2020, making Nebraska the first school to embark on a program to prepare student-athletes for NIL. The Ready Now program focuses on Education, Assessment and Performance, and best positions student-athletes to enhance their social media profiles.
Kearney is hosting the 63rd annual Nebraska Shrine Bowl this Saturday night. The South roster includes Kearney High’s Gabe VanWinkle and Jack Johnson, and Kearney Catholic’s Cale Conrad and Logan O’Brien. Kickoff is at 6:00 at UNK’s Ron and Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field.
Wave I of the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials will begin today at the CHI Health Center in Omaha. The four day event begins each day at 10:00 a.m. (CT) with the preliminary rounds. The Finals will be held each evening at 7:00 p.m. (CT).
Legion Baseball Results & Schedules:
Runza Seniors
– Thursday
– @ Scottsbluff (DH) – Won 6-1/11-5
– Friday
– @ Scottsbluff – 11:30
Post 52 Juniors
– Friday (Hosting 3-Day Juniors Invite @ Memorial Field)
– vs. Gretna – 12:30
– vs. Lincoln East – 8:00
– Saturday
– vs. Millard West – 8:00
– Sunday
– vs. Lincoln Southwest – 5:30
Jersey Seniors
– Friday-Sunday
– @ North Platte Tournament – TBA
Five Points Juniors
– OFF THIS WEEKEND
