The Terps have been rolling of late.
Maryland baseball has been scorching hot of late, and that continued in its midweek game against Delaware, when it pummeled the Blue Hens, 19-7. The dominant play from the Terps has caught the eye of many national outlets and turned them back into a serious contender to make a deep postseason run.
Maryland will next take on Nebraska in its sixth Big Ten series, looking to keep its series win streak alive to take a stronger hold on first place in the conference standings.
Maryland will host the Cornhuskers with Friday’s game starting at 6:30 p.m., Saturday’s at 2 p.m. and Sunday’s at 1 p.m. All three games can be streamed on Big Ten Plus.
Nebraska Cornhuskers (24-16-1, 9-6 Big Ten)
Nebraska looks like a competitive contender for the Big Ten regular-season title, holding a 9-6 conference record — only two games back from the Terps. The Cornhuskers are coming off a weekend series win over Minnesota, but have only won three out of their last nine games. Despite that, Nebraska has proven it can take down premier competition, defeating Vanderbilt at the Cambria College Classic in the first week of March.
Head coach Will Bolt is looking to guide Nebraska back atop of the Big Ten, just as he did back in 2021.
Hitters to watch
Brice Matthews, junior shortstop, No. 14 — Matthews is a stud at the plate and will be one of the most prolific hitters that the Terps will face all season. Matthews’ stats are eye-catching, with a wRC+ of 182 alongside a 1.270 OPS and a .392 batting average. Matthews is a threat every time he steps up to the dish.
Max Anderson, junior second baseman, No. 4 — Anderson is batting .383 with a 1.187 OPS this season. Anderson also holds a wRC+ of 166. He is elite when he comes to the plate with runners in scoring position.
Pitchers to watch
Jace Kaminska, junior right-handed pitcher, No. 55 — Kaminska has been the go-to guy for Nebraska on Saturdays. He has been solid all season long, putting together a 6-3 record in 10 starts. If he is on his game, he could shut down the Maryland offense.
Emmett Olson, junior left-handed pitcher, No. 38 — Olson will be the starting pitcher that the Terps face on Friday. He has also had a solid season with a 5-2 record and a 1.13 WHIP. He is a swing-and-miss pitcher, as he leads the Cornhuskers with 65 strikeouts.
Strength
Deep lineup. The Cornhuskers have many weapons in their batting order, with five of nine hitters batting .300 or better. If they get into a groove, they can make pitchers pay and score loads of runs.
Weakness
Inconsistency. Nebraska have talented players on both sides of the ball, but it has hit a rough patch of late. Over the past two weeks, the Cornhuskers have only won three games. If their struggles continue, Maryland will pounce.
Three things to watch
1, Can Maryland win its sixth straight weekend series? Maryland has been on fire during Big Ten play, winning all five of its weekend series, including their first conference sweep this past weekend against Indiana. With Maryland having a two-game lead over Nebraska in the conference standings, this series will have a huge impact when determining the regular-season champion.
2. Maryland’s double-digit run steak. The Maryland offense has been explosive over the past week and a half, scoring double-digit runs in seven straight games. Once the Terps find their groove, there is no stopping them.
3. Weekend starters. In the Indiana series, the Maryland pitching staff allowed only 12 total runs on the weekend — its best weekend performance all season. Through all of the ups and downs that the Terps’ pitching has had, it may have found its stride at the perfect time. It will look to try and dominate for a second week in a row.