The Michigan Wolverines baseball team is hoping to bounce back this week after getting swept by No. 1 UCLA last weekend to begin Big Ten play. There is no shame in losing to the mighty Bruins, but starting conference play 0-3 is never ideal.
Before taking on the Cornhuskers, Michigan did have a mid-week clash against in-state rival Michigan State. That game did not count toward the Big Ten standings.
Michigan takes down Michigan State in mid-week showdown
The Michigan State Spartans traveled to Ray Fisher Stadium in Ann Arbor on Wednesday afternoon, and
Michigan got the best of its rival in this one. The Wolverines ended up winning 2-0 in a defensive slugfest that went down on a chilly winter day.
Michigan opened up the scoring in the second inning of this game. Drew Culbertson came up to the plate with the bases loaded and a chance to break the game open, but he grounded into a double play. The Wolverines were still able to get one run across on the play.
The Wolverines were able to add another run in the fourth inning when Evan Haeger scored on a wild pitch. At that point, Michigan was still trying to get the offense going, but it wasn’t needed. No one scored after that, and the Wolverines hung on for a 2-0 win. Grant Bradley got the win on the mound for Michigan.
Michigan vs. Nebraska preview
Michigan will be back at home this weekend with the visiting Nebraska Cornhuskers coming to town. Nebraska is off to a strong 16-5 start to the 2026 season, and the team is 3-0 to begin Big Ten play after sweeping Michigan State last weekend.
Last season, the Cornhuskers finished 33-29, and they punched a ticket to the NCAA Tournament by winning the Big Ten Tournament in Omaha. Their season came to a close after losing against Oklahoma in the Chapel Hill Regional.
Nebraska finished the 2025 season strong, and the momentum seems to have carried over into 2026. The Cornhuskers should be one of the better teams in the Big Ten this season, and this will be another tricky series for Michigan.
Players to watch
Offensively, Nebraska has four main contributors who are hitting over .370 to start the season. Outfielder Mac Moyer is leading the way with a remarkable .431 average. He doesn’t have a ton of pop in his bat, as he has zero home runs on the year, but he is going to find some holes in the defense.
Infielder Dylan Carey is also off to a scorching hot start this season. He is currently 32-82 to start the year, which is good for a .390 average. He leads Nebraska with five home runs and 24 RBIs. Because of his power, he is the most dangerous player in the Cornhuskers’ lineup.
Nebraska has also received great production from infielder Case Sanderson, who is hitting .382 on the young season. He has one home run and 15 RBIs.
Lastly, infielder Jett Buck is also a name to watch for in this lineup. He is hitting .373 with three homers and 16 RBIs.
In terms of pitching, Michigan will likely face Cooper Katskee, Gavin Blachowicz and Ty Horn. Katskee has been phenomenal in his three starts this season, allowing just four earned runs in 24.1 IP. He currently has a 1.48 ERA.
Blachowicz has also pitched 24.1 innings so far, but he hasn’t been quite as dominant. He has allowed eight earned runs on 17 hits, which is good for a 2.96 ERA.
Lastly, Ty Horn has been solid as well, posting a 3.16 ERA so far this year. He has given up nine earned runs in 25.2 IP.
Series schedule
Game one: Friday 3/20, 4:00 PM ET, B1G+
Game two: Saturday 3/21, 2:00 PM ET, B1G+
Game three: Sunday 3/22, 1:00 PM ET, B1G+
One other thing to keep an eye on this weekend is the weather. As we’ve seen during the last couple of weeks, you never know what Michigan is going to bring in March. The current forecast looks solid with temps in the 50s and 60s, so hopefully all three games will be played as scheduled.
All in all, this is going to be a tricky series for Michigan, but a winnable one. The Wolverines have beaten some tough opponents this season, and they need to bounce back after the 0-3 start in conference play. Taking two out of three from the Cornhuskers would be a massive win.
