Welcome to the first TWIS Notes post-season edition. The Huskers are likely in College Park, MD, or airborne toward their destination. Here’s what’s happening.
HUSKERS Win Their 1st Outright Big 10 Regular Season Title!
You most likely know this.
With a 10-4 comeback victory over Penn State last Saturday – yes, they were trailing 4-1 entering the 6th inning – the Huskers rendered the Oregon-UCLA series moot. As stated above, it is their first outright B1G title having split with Michigan in 2014.
They now go for a sweep of the titles by attempting to add this
week’s Big 10 Tournament to the their trophy haul. They are the #1 seed and will play the winner of today’s #8 Ohio State-#9 Michigan game tomorrow on Thursday at 1:30pm CST. A How To Watch/Listen column will be published in the evening the night before each Husker game this weekend.
The Big 10 regular season/tournament sweep is not uncommon with Northwestern being the last to do it in 2023. Michigan, who largely dominated Big 10 play from 1995, when the tournament started, until 2021 accomplished the exacta seven times, most recently in 2019. Iowa (2003), Ohio State (2007) and Minnesota (2017) also pulled it off.
Picking the Huskers Path
A not-very-deep dive to pick each Husker opponent and how Nebraska will fare.
ROUND 1 – Michigan- Ohio State is the higher seed but Michigan has played a tougher field. The Wolverines took the season series and their ace, Gabby Ellis, while not the strikeout pitcher OSU’s Jenna Molk is, allows fewer baserunners and that should be enough to get them by. When they reach the Huskers, they will have to go deeper into their staff while trying to overcome Jordy Frahm. That’s too tall an order. Huskers 6 Michigan 1
Semi-Finals – Washington – The Huskies will have little trouble with Minnesota and, while seeded lower than Indiana, they are far more battle-tested. Yes, they finished on their heels going 1-8 against Oregon, UCLA and Ohio State, but Indiana’s non-conference had a large collection of “Who dat?” opponents and they then feasted on the bottom of the Big 10 standing in conference. Washington will likely throw Sophie Ramuno who has thrown well against Nebraska twice in two years. Third time will not be the charm. Huskers 5 Huskies 2
Finals – Oregon – UCLA and Oregon are very likely to go at again in the semis and, quite frankly, the Ducks look like the hotter team right now. The Ducks won every Big 10 series including the finale against the Bruins. However, each team has the same weakness and that’s a lack of even mediocre pitching after their aces. That lack of depth will be a huge advantage for a Husker staff with Frahm and Alexis Jensen – and Hannah Camenzind would be an upgrade for either team as well. Huskers 8 Ducks 4
What? Like I wasn’t going to pick the ‘Skers to win it all?
This Week’s HUSKER SOFTBALL Nuggets
- I didn’t think of it until after I published this last week, but Oregon Had another path to the Big 10 title besides dueling sweeps. If they swept UCLA and Nebraska had lost two of three to Penn State resulting in a tie, then Oregon would have claimed the #1 seed in the tournament by virtue of a better record against their common conference opponent with the highest RPI – UCLA. Nebraska won two of three in that series.
- The way I think of it, I was just reducing anxiety for everyone, especially when trailing late in Saturday’s game.
- While talking about employing Emmerson Cope at DP (.243 AB but .403 OB%), Revelle mentioned wanting to rest Alexis Jensen more. I’m assuming she also noticed Lex, while not battered around, had stilled been touched up some in three of her most recent four appearances. It is her freshman year and fatigue can be real in one’s first season of D1 ball and its schedule.
- Coach Revelle mentioned how the ball jumps off Cope’s bat – and she’s right – and her eye at the plate raising that on-base percentage is impressive. But freshman Carlie Muhlbach shouldn’t be forgotten either – in her limited action, she batted .346 with a .514 OB% and some pop.
- Ignore any schedules showing B1G+ as the broadcast network for the tournament. The Big 10 email states all games will be shown on the Big 10 Network. That’s a high reduction in “Boom goes the dynamite” content.
- So, Coach Revelle confirmed Tuesday that this happened – and it was 22 bags, not 20 (Easy Kate 😂). But, they still had a great time after being greeted at the airport by a squad of fans. And fret not – all bags made it safe and sound by 9:00 that evening. It was some late laundry for the equipment manage, however.
