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Baseball in Bloomington and how the Huskers won the Big Ten

Nebraska on Wednesday/Thurday

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The Big Ten baseball tournament begins in Bloomington, Ind., on Wednesday. Nebraska is the top seed in the Big Ten tournament, achieving something many Husker fans thought would be a given as soon as the former Big 12 power entered its new stomping grounds.

After two years of heartbreaking runner-up finishes in 2013 and 2014, Nebraska took a giant step backward in postseason play the last two seasons, going 0-2 in the conference tournament both years. But this team, in my estimation, is much different than those two were, and even though Big Ten Coach of the Year Darin Erstad doesn't like to compare teams, I think it's worth taking a look.

In Erstad's fourth year, 2015, he had nearly all his own recruits, with the exception of in-state standouts such as Tanner Lubach and Kyle Kubat. There wasn't much behind Kubat as far as starting pitching. In 2016, Erstad had an absolute star in Ryan Boldt, but when Scott Schreiber got hurt late in the season, the offense saw a huge drop off.

This season, Erstad's sixth, is pitching coach Ted Silva's best staff yet. It's a team full of only Erstad recruits, players that take on his mentality of resilience and consistency. One big thing made this team different and brought a Big Ten title back to Lincoln - an identity.

It's something Nebraska football fans have griped about for years, but it's something the baseball team owned in 2017. The Huskers know what they aren't - namely, a power hitting team - but have built a solid team on pitching, prideful defense, and small ball offense.

Jake Meyers throws a fastball at 85 miles per hour - he's 8-1 with a top 10 ERA in the Big Ten. Mojo Hagge is listed in the media guide at 5'8" (which I don't believe for a second) - he leaps onto the wall to make circus catches in the outfield. The team mirrors its head coach; there's nothing too "rah rah" about it, but it succeeds with a pitch-by-pitch mentality.

Will Nebraska reverse its postseason misfortunes of the last two seasons? Perhaps, perhaps not. But the program took a big step with that emphatic 21-3 victory over Penn State. After a rough start to the season, the players never let go of the process.

This week in Bloomington could be that next big leap.

***The following are capsules of each team in the field heading into Big Ten tournament play, arranged by first- and second-round matchups.***

1. Nebraska (34-18-1, 16-7-1 Big Ten)

Record vs. the field: 7-4-1

Record in May: 8-2

Where they hold the edge: Dominant pitching. While Michigan has a better team ERA, no team has shown more arms that can flat out dominate like Nebraska. Between Jake Hohensee, Derek Burkamper, and ace lefty Jake Meyers, the Huskers’ starting rotation has put together several lights-out starts, and relievers Robbie Palkert, Jake McSteen, Nate Fisher, Chad Luensmann, and Luis Alvarado have formed the most resilient bullpen in the conference. Injuries have hurt the sheer number of arms pitching coach Ted Silva can use, but the potential each pitcher shows gives Nebraska a major boost in tournament play.

Where there’s vulnerability: Inability to score quickly. Even with better offensive numbers down the stretch, this team hasn’t been able to rely on the long ball. Too often, the Huskers will find themselves in a tough spot after two quick outs (commonly strikeouts) in an inning, and are unable to score even after a two-out hit. Nebraska is an example of an offense that needs a momentum shift to get the ball rolling, and unfortunately for the Huskers, that shift isn’t coming on one swing.

First round outlook: The Huskers face a Purdue team that’s been up and down all season, but has some reason for optimism after taking a series from Minnesota to fend off Michigan State for the 8-seed. The Boilermakers are young but talented, occupying two spots on the Big Ten all-freshman team and seeing the majority of their contributions from underclassmen. The Huskers could see Gibbon, Neb., native Gareth Stroh on the mound for Purdue Wednesday.

Tournament outlook: The Huskers have hit their stride at the right time and are seeing the easier side of the bracket. The Big Ten regular season champion may have their hands full with a second round matchup, but both Maryland and Iowa have been inconsistent down the stretch. Nebraska will start Hohensee on Wednesday and Burkamper on Thursday, but if the Huskers are 2-0 after that, I expect them to hold Meyers until championship Sunday.

8. Purdue (29-25, 12-12)

Record vs. the field: 6-9

Record in May: 4-7

Where they hold the edge: Lockdown bullpen. While Purdue’s starters are just stable enough to get by, the Boilermakers have some gamers in the bullpen. Ross Learnard is one of the best relievers in the Big Ten, boasting a 0.41 ERA to go with four saves. Jack Dellinger has been solid over 43.1 innings of relief and Dalton Parker leads the team with 6 saves. In late April, the Boilermakers put together a streak of 57 consecutive innings without trailing.

Where there’s vulnerability: Inexperience. Purdue went just 2-22 in conference a year ago, and the 10-game win jump set Big Ten records. However, even though a return to watchable baseball was welcomed in West Lafayette, the majority of contributors on the team are freshmen and sophomores who have never experienced postseason play.

First round outlook: Nebraska is one of the few teams Purdue hasn’t yet seen in 2017. The Boilers could pitch Friday starter Tanner Andrews or Nebraska native Gareth Stroh for the matchup, but they will likely need to put together a big lead to fend off the top-seeded Huskers. Purdue will look to get a jump on Nebraska right-hander Jake Hohensee and put itself in a position to play from ahead, which translated to two wins over Minnesota last weekend.

Tournament outlook: Purdue finds itself on the easier side of the bracket with a lot of experience against the Big Ten’s top teams. That experience may work in the Boilermakers’ favor, especially if they find themselves having to climb out of the losers bracket.

4. Maryland (34-19, 15-9)

Record vs. the field: 5-7

Record in May: 5-6

Where they hold the edge: Sheer talent. Maryland was tabbed by nearly every national pundit to win the Big Ten in 2017, and with capable hitters and fielders all over the diamond, the Terrapins will be a threat to win the conference tournament as well. Led by Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Brian Shaffer, the Terps have a wealth of arms both starting and in the bullpen, with some of the best prospects in the country at their disposal. Maryland’s roster fills out summer wood bat teams in the prestigious Cape Cod league and other East Coast summer baseball teams.

Where there’s vulnerability: The May collapse. Maryland’s collapse over the past few weeks has been one of the more baffling things in college baseball this year. The Terrapins dropped series to Northwestern and High Point in the last two weekends and suddenly find themselves back on the NCAA tournament bubble. Will their struggles continue in postseason play?

First round outlook: Shaffer will undoubtedly take the mound for Maryland against Iowa, so it will be strength vs. strength in the first round. Iowa’s top five hitters are lethal sluggers, but Shaffer boasted a 1.67 ERA with 98 strikeouts. It will be intriguing to see if Maryland’s hitters can get ahead of pitch counts.

Tournament outlook: As was previously mentioned, Maryland has the talent to win this tournament, but do they have the mental fortitude? The Terrapins could see a quick exit if they keep struggling, but a favorable matchup against Iowa could catapult Maryland to a tournament run.

5. Iowa (34-19, 15-9)

Record vs. the field: 5-4

Record in May: 7-4

Where they hold the edge: Slugger’s mentality. Iowa leads the Big Ten with a .446 slugging percentage, led by Big Ten Player of the Year Jake Adams, who’s second in the nation with 24 home runs on the season. The first four batters in the lineup are hitting comfortably above .300, and six batters are well above .400 in slugging percentage. Adams leads the conference in that statistic, slugging .750.

Where there’s vulnerability: Blow-up innings. In more than half of the Hawkeyes’ Big Ten losses, opponents have had a big multi-run inning late in the game to either take the lead or extend one. Relief pitching has been solid for the most part, but when things go bad for Iowa, they tend to snowball. Without the ability to limit the damage from these big innings, Iowa’s offense can only take it so far.

First round outlook: The offense will be up to a tall task against Maryland starter Brian Shaffer, but if the Hawkeyes start Nick Gallagher, they should expect a solid outing. Maryland has the hitters to make this one ugly, but if Gallagher in the relief staff pitch well, Iowa can stay in this long enough to let the offense get ahead.

Tournament outlook: Iowa has the offense to shake things up in the Big Ten field, but middle relief pitching remains a question. Nebraska, the possible second round opponent, took its only series loss of the conference season to Iowa, so that matchup could play in the Hawkeyes’ favor on Thursday. This is a team that could very easily make the weekend, but the Hawkeyes need to show up to Bloomington playing their best ball.

2. Michigan (42-13, 16-8)

Record vs. the field: 5-4

Record in May: 9-3

Where they hold the edge: Balance. Michigan ranks first in the Big Ten in team ERA (3.22), runs scored (6.72 per game), and fielding percentage (.983). The Wolverines have been consistent all year, sweeping a series against likely regional host Oklahoma and winning six out of eight Big Ten series, all while garnering five first team all-conference selections. The Wolverines have spent several weeks hovering around No. 15 in most major polls.

Where there’s vulnerability: Early deficits. In six of Michigan’s eight conference losses, the Wolverines have allowed a crooked number in at least one of the first two innings of each game. For as good as Michigan’s starting pitchers and team ERA have been, the team becomes susceptible to losses, especially in conference, when it gets behind.

First round outlook: The Wolverines pitched Alec Renard in the first game of last week’s series against Michigan State, so it looks like they’ll go with him again for a winnable first game of the tournament against Northwestern to save first-team All-Big Ten pitcher Oliver Jaskie for a possible semifinal matchup. Michigan has to like its matchup against the Wildcats, but Northwestern has been pesky down the stretch.

Tournament outlook: On paper, this is the best team in the tournament, but the Wolverines have lacked consistency in Big Ten play. If they finally put it all together this week, you can pencil them into Sunday. A bad matchup with Indiana could possibly cause Michigan to trip up in the second round.

7. Northwestern (24-28, 13-11)

Record vs. the field: 6-6

Record in May: 7-3

Where they hold the edge: Late-season momentum. The Wildcats went from long shot to hottest team in the Big Ten over a span of about three weeks late in the season. Series wins over Purdue and Maryland and a dominating sweep of Rutgers slotted Northwestern into the 7-seed with a chance to make some noise. The bats have come together, the starting pitching has been lights-out, and the Wildcats are playing above their talent level.

Where there’s vulnerability: Too little, too late? With the worst season record of the Big Ten tournament qualifiers, the Wildcats didn’t hit their stride until May, struggling mostly on offense through the majority of their schedule. Northwestern still ranks second-to-last in the Big Ten in several offensive categories, although there has been noticeable signs of improvement in the last two series wins over Maryland and Rutgers. Have the Wildcats hit enough of a stride to carry them through postseason play?

First round outlook: Northwestern shouldn’t stand a chance against Michigan on paper. But the best minds in the sport of baseball will tell you how funny of a game it can be. The Wildcats are the hottest team in the conference, whilst Michigan has been maddeningly inconsistent in conference play. An upset very well could happen.

Tournament outlook: The Wildcats find themselves buried on a tough side of the bracket, so the numbers would probably indicate that they'll go two-and-out. But teams that play well in May can find some success in the postseason, and this team might just be streaky enough to make a run for the weekend.

3. Minnesota (33-19, 15-8)

Record vs. the field: 4-6

Record in May: 8-5

Where they hold the edge: Stable offense. Minnesota leads the Big Ten with a .293 combined batting average, and they rip extra base hits at the right time. Minnesota also has the ability to add on insurance with the lead, a trait that helps the bullpen and makes it very hard for teams to come back on the Gophers.

Where there’s vulnerability: Schedule fatigue. This is a little bit of karma after the Gophers skated by with a very easy Big Ten schedule through the majority of the season. The last two weeks have been absolutely brutal, hosting a home series against Long Beach State - a team fighting for a national seed - before playing five games in five days against Rutgers and Purdue. Questions remain about if Minnesota’s starters - with the exception of All-Big Ten pitcher Lucas Gilbreath - are ready for a influx of tough competition in the Big Ten tournament.

First round outlook: The Gophers will likely throw Gilbreath against a tough Indiana team - nothing will be a cakewalk for the team that blew the opportunity to lock up a 1-seed. Minnesota will need to get on the board and regain some confidence early, or risk an early exit.

Tournament outlook: This is when we find out what Minnesota is truly made of. The Gophers didn’t last long as the 1-seed a year ago, and they’ll need the bats to put together some high run totals if they want to stick around for the weekend this year. This is another team that could knock off Michigan in the right circumstance.

6. Indiana (32-20-2, 14-9-1)

Record vs. the field: 10-7-1

Record in May: 8-3

Where they hold the edge: Experience against top teams. A brutal schedule that included the Big Ten’s top four teams did Indiana quite a few favors down the stretch. The Big Ten’s leader in RPI downed Michigan, Minnesota, and Maryland in weekend series, and are going into the tournament as the only team to have faced more than five opponents in the field. The Hoosiers will also have the benefit of home field advantage at Bart Kaufman Field in Bloomington.

Where there’s vulnerability: Consistent batting. For as well as the Hoosiers are slugging the baseball, the team batting average simply isn’t where they want it be going into the postseason. Just one hitter, Matt Lloyd, is hitting over .300 on the season, with several batters hovering around .250. Four Indiana starters have hit nine home runs or more on the year, but the question is whether the Hoosiers can get baserunners to make the long ball count for more than one run.

First round outlook: Indiana will likely turn to Friday starter Jonathan Stiever against Minnesota, who has been shaky at best with a 4.43 ERA over 12 starts. But if Stiever can hold things down, Indiana could give the Gophers fits with timely offense and the ability to scrap and win games. The Hoosiers took two of three from the Gophers in the regular season.

Tournament outlook: There are just two other teams in the field that the Hoosiers haven’t beaten this year - Iowa, which they didn’t play, and Nebraska, which they tied in the series finale. According to RPI, Indiana should be the tournament favorite, and if the experience pays off, the Hoosiers could find themselves hoisting a trophy come Sunday.