This past weekend marked another consequential set of conference games as contenders are beginning to emerge from the pack. Some squads have hit scorching strides, while others stand in a significant rut.
While Purdue may be the Big Ten’s hottest team, boasting a four-game winning streak, Northwestern stands at the opposite end of the barrel.
Amid a nine-game losing streak, the ’Cats just fell in a series sweep to Penn State.
After remaining relatively competitive in its first losses against the Nittany Lions with scores of 8-4 and 12-7, NU hit rock bottom in its series finale, falling in a 15-1 run-rule rout.
It will be a challenging endeavor for the ’Cats to find their way back to form, especially with the squad set to encounter another difficult conference series against Maryland this weekend.
No. 23 Nebraska’s 10-game winning streak headlined conference play entering the week. However, the Cornhuskers’ impressive run came to an abrupt end April 2 when they fell 5-3 to Creighton.
In its next outing, Nebraska defeated Ohio State 3-0 April 5.
The Cornhuskers received a brilliant performance from their ace, junior Brett Sears, who leads the Big Ten with a 1.14 ERA. The right-handed pitcher allowed just two hits and struck out ten batters in a complete-game shutout against the Buckeyes.
Purdue’s dominance proved another key conference storyline. The Boilermakers are now 5-4 in conference play and stand at 20-12 overall following a commanding weekend sweep over Rutgers.
Purdue’s triumph relied heavily on exceptional catcher Connor Caskenette’s emphatic performance. With a home run, five RBIs and three hits, Caskenette played a pivotal role in the Boilermakers’ clean sweep of the Scarlet Knights.
NU’s next conference opponent, Maryland, carries a 4-5 Big Ten record and will enter the weekend fresh off two matchups with Georgetown and UMBC. The Terrapins fell 2-1 to Indiana in their last conference series.
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