NEBRASKA BASEBALL PREPARES FOR OMAHA IN HOME TILT:
Nebraska continues its homestand tonight, welcoming in-state foe Omaha to Hawks Field.
First pitch between the Huskers and Mavericks is set for 6:05 p.m. KGFW’s pregame is set for 5:30.
Through 74 all-time meetings, Nebraska holds a dominant 62-12 advantage over Omaha in the all-time series. Since Omaha’s transition to DI, the Huskers have won 11 of the 14 meetings against the Mavericks.
The two teams split four games last season, with the Big Red posting a 14-3 run-rule victory in seven innings in their final meeting at Hawks Field in 2022.
HUSKER BASEBALL’S EVANS NAMED CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Junior Cole Evans has been named the Big Ten Baseball’s Player of the Week.
The Grand Island, Neb., native hit .818 (9-for-11) with three doubles, two home runs, seven RBI and four runs in three games against Northern Colorado and Illinois State, while recording a 1.636 slugging percentage and .833 on-base percentage.
Evans went 3-for-4 with a double, two homers, three RBI and a pair of runs scored in a 14-3 seven-inning win against Northern Colorado.
The junior opened the Illinois State series with a 2-for-3 day, before going 4-for-4 with two doubles, four RBI and two runs in the second game against the Redbirds.
BIG RED MOVE SERIES WITH NICHOLLS TO K-STATE:
Due to the forecasted weather conditions in the Lincoln area this weekend, Nebraska’s baseball series vs. Nicholls has been relocated to Kansas State’s Tointon Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kan.
The Huskers and Colonels are set to play one game on Thursday and a doubleheader on Friday at Tointon Family Stadium. Thursday’s first pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m., while Friday’s doubleheader is set for 2:30 p.m. Friday’s doubleheader will include a seven-inning game, followed by a nine-inning game.
The series can be heard on KGFW; check the KGFW.com sports broadcast calendar for more details.
LOPER SOFTBALL SPLITS MONDAY DOUBLEHEADER WITH MO WEST:
Senior catcher Katie Gosker hit a walk-off single down the left field line and sophomore Sydney Thomason had another big day as Nebraska Kearney beat Missouri Western State, 2-1, in the first game of a double header Monday afternoon at Patriot Park.
The Lopers (12-14, 3-1) dropped the night cap as the Griffons (12-5, 2-2) scored four unearned in the top of the first and hung on for a 4-2 win. These games were originally set for Saturday but pushed back two days due to weather and field conditions.
UNK heads to St. Joseph this weekend for the Mo West Invite; weather will likely change the schedule.
NEBRASKA WOMEN’S HOOPS SET TO FACE MISSOURI STATE WEDNESDAY:
Nebraska became the eighth Big Ten Conference women’s basketball program to earn a postseason bid this year when it was chosen to participate in the 64-team Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT)
The Huskers will begin their latest postseason run at home, playing host to Missouri State at 6 p.m. (CT) Wednesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb. Tickets are available through the Nebraska Athletic Ticket Office at Huskers.com
With a victory, Nebraska would advance to a second-round matchup against either Northern Iowa or Colorado State during a window from March 18-21.
Nebraska is making its seventh WNIT appearance since the current tournament format began in 1998, and earns its first trip since 2021, when the Huskers reached the round of 16 in a modified 32-team event necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nebraska also competed in the 1992 National Women’s Invitation Tournament (NWIT), finishing fourth that season.
BELLEVUE WEST QUARTERBACK, HUSKER TARGET KAELIN PICKS MIZZOU:
A Nebraska high school standout will be headed to the SEC to play his college football.
Bellevue West quarterback Danny Kaelin announced his commitment to Missouri via a tweet Monday afternoon.
As a junior, Kaelin threw for 3,186 yards and 36 touchdowns. The Thunderbirds reached the state quarterfinals in Class A before falling to state runner-up Gretna.
Nebraska had offered Kaelin, though the bulk of Nebraska’s quarterback attention for the class of 2024 has been directed toward Dylan Raiola.
Kaelin is the second in-state quarterback in as many years to commit to a major program outside of the Huskers’ Big Ten footprint. Gretna quarterback Zane Flores signed with Oklahoma State in the Cowboys’ most recent signing class.
Kearney Bearcat Football faces Kaelin and the Thunderbirds in Week 4 of the Nebraska High School Football season in September when Bellevue West travels to Ron & Carol Cope Stadium.
QUARTERBACKS ON THE MOVE IN NFL FREE AGENCY:
Jimmy Garoppolo is finally out of San Francisco, ready to start the next phase of his career wearing the Raiders’ silver and black. Sam Darnold is heading out West, where he’ll replace Garoppolo and join Trey Lance and Brock Purdy with the 49ers. Mike White, Case Keenum and Jarrett Stidham have new teams, too.
As for Aaron Rodgers, who is not a free agent but whose name has widely been circulated in trade rumors, his future remains unclear because he’s Aaron Rodgers.
Jimmy G agreed to a three-year, $67.5 million contract with Las Vegas, where he’ll replace Derek Carr, who signed with the New Orleans Saints earlier this offseason after being cut by the Raiders.
More free agency moves are to be expected in the coming days.
Local Results & Schedules:
THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:
MONDAY:
- UNK:
- Women’s Tennis: @ Rollins College @ Winter Park, FL
- CANCELLED
- Softball: v. Missouri Western State @ Patriot Park
- UNK 2-1 MWSt.
- Softball: v. Missouri Western State @ Patriot Park
- MWSt. 4-2
- Women’s Tennis: @ Rollins College @ Winter Park, FL
TUESDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- Women’s Golf: @ Hillcat Classic, Owasso, OK
- Volleyball: @ Eckerd College @ St. Petersburg, FL – 5:30 PM
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- Baseball: v. Aquinas, MN @ Winter Haven, FL – 8 AM
- Men’s Tennis: v. Hanover @ Louisville, KY – 10 AM
- Women’s Tennis: v. Hanover @ Louisville, KY – 10 AM
- Baseball: v. Aquinas, MN @ Winter Haven, FL – 11 AM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Nebraska Baseball v. Omaha (5:30 PM – 10 PM)
WEDNESDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- STATE SPEECH @ KHS
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- Volleyball: @ Tampa, FL – 7:30 AM
- Women’s Tennis: @ Palm Beach Atlantic @ West Palm Beach, FL – 1:30 PM
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- Men’s Tennis: v. Oakland City @ Louisville, KY – 1 PM
- Women’s Tennis: v. Oakland City @ Louisville, KY – 1 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- WNIT – Nebraska Women’s Basketball v. Missouri State (5:45 PM – 9 PM)
THURSDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- STATE SPEECH @ KHS
- Boys Soccer: @ Lincoln Southwest @ Lincoln Northwest – 3 PM
- Girls Soccer: v. Grand Island @ Kearney High School – 7 PM
- KGFW Pregame at 6:45 PM
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Girls Soccer: @ York – 5 PM
- Boys Soccer: @ York – 7 PM
- UNK:
- N/a
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- N/a
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Nebraska Baseball v. Nicholls (10:30 AM – 3 PM)
- Kearney Girls Soccer v. Grand Island (6:45 PM – 8:45 PM)
FRIDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- STATE SPEECH @ KHS
- Baseball: @ Lincoln Southeast @ Den Hartog Field – 12 PM
- KGFW Pregame at 11:45 AM
- T&F: @ UNK Indoor Invite @ Cushing Coliseum – 1 PM
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- Softball: v. Wayne State @ St. Joseph, MO – 10 AM
- Softball: v. Upper Iowa @ St. Joseph, MO – 2 PM
- Women’s Tennis: @ Florida Southern @ Lakeland, FL – 2 PM
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- Baseball: @ Dordt @ Sioux Center, IA – 4 PM
- Baseball: @ Dordt @ Sioux Center, IA – 7 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Kearney Baseball @ Lincoln Southeast (11:45 AM – 2:45 PM)
- Nebraska Baseball v. Nicholls – DOUBLEHEADER (2:45 PM – 10 PM)
SATURDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Girls Soccer: KEARNEY HIGH INVITE @ KHS/UNK
- Boys Soccer: KEARNEY HIGH INVITE @ KHS/UNK
- Baseball: v. Fremont @ Memorial Field – 12 PM
- KGFW Pregame at 11:45 AM
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- T&F: @ UNK Indoor Invite @ Cushing Coliseum – 11 AM
- UNK:
- Softball: v. Bemidji State @ St. Joseph, MO – 12 PM
- Softball: v. St. Cloud State @ St. Joseph, MO – 4 PM
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- Softball: @ Peru State – 1 PM
- Softball: @ Peru State – 3 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Kearney Baseball v. Fremont (11:45 AM – 2:45 PM)
SUNDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- Softball: v. Minnesota State @ St. Joseph, MO – 9 AM
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- Baseball: v. Concordia – 1 PM
- Baseball: v. Concordia – 4 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- TBD
