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Gophers Host No. 4 Nebraska for Weekend Series at Jane Sage Cowles
4/16/2026 11:37:00 AM | Softball
MINNEAPOLIS – Minnesota returns to Jane Sage Cowles Stadium this weekend for a three-game series against No. 4 Nebraska. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m. CT on Friday, followed by a 1:00 p.m. CT start Saturday and a 12:00 p.m. CT finale on Sunday. All three games will be streamed on B1G+.
GAME ONE
Minnesota (14-27, 6-9 B1G) vs. No. 4 Nebraska (33-6, 14-1 B1G)
Date: Friday, April 17
Time: 3:00 p.m. CT
Location: Jane Sage Cowles Stadium
Stream: B1G+
GAME TWO
Minnesota (14-27, 6-9 B1G) vs. No. 4 Nebraska (33-6, 14-1 B1G)
Date: Saturday, April 18
Time: 1:00 p.m. CT
Location: Jane Sage Cowles Stadium
Stream: B1G+
GAME THREE
Minnesota (14-27, 6-9 B1G) vs. No. 4 Nebraska (33-6, 14-1 B1G)
Date: Sunday, April 19
Time: 12:00 p.m. CT
Location: Jane Sage Cowles Stadium
Stream: B1G+
SCOUTING THE HUSKERS
No. 4 Nebraska enters the weekend at 33-6 overall and 14-1 in Big Ten play. The Huskers have won every conference series this season and are coming off back-to-back sweeps of Wisconsin and Rutgers. Nebraska currently sits second in the Big Ten standings. The Huskers rank among the league's top offensive teams, posting a .337 batting average, third in the conference, while launching 68 home runs, including 28 in Big Ten play. Jordy Frahm and Alexis Jensen headline Nebraska's two-way strength. Frahm is hitting .451 with a team-high 15 home runs and has been dominant in the circle, posting a 1.50 ERA with 145 strikeouts in 107 innings. Jensen is batting .345 with a .621 slugging percentage while also contributing a 2.58 ERA and 157 strikeouts across 105 innings. Hannah Camenzind adds depth on both sides, hitting .379 with 36 RBI while recording a 1.21 ERA in relief appearances.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Minnesota holds a 22-24 all-time record against Nebraska. The two programs last met in 2025, when the Huskers claimed the series.
LAST TIME OUT
Minnesota went winless against a ranked Washington squad last weekend. Tara Wolocko led the Gophers at the plate, batting .556 with a .778 slugging percentage. Maggie Werner added a .455 average, while Sydney Schwartz and Jessa Snippes each hit .333. All of Schwartz's hits went for extra bases, including her second home run of the season. In the circle, Macy Richardson and Schwartz each logged 7.0 innings. Richardson posted a 2.00 ERA with seven strikeouts, while Schwartz recorded nine strikeouts.
GOPHER SEASON LEADERS
Maggie Werner leads Minnesota with a .340 batting average, adding five home runs and 15 RBI. Tara Wolocko paces the team with six home runs and 21 RBI while posting a .469 slugging percentage. Tinley Easton (32 hits) and Scarlett Kuhn (31 hits) have each surpassed the 30-hit mark this season. In the circle, Schwartz has anchored the staff with 10 wins, a 3.03 ERA, 109 strikeouts and 115 innings pitched. Macy Richardson ranks second with 69 strikeouts, while Minnesota's pitching staff has combined for 219 strikeouts this season.
B1G STAND OUT
Schwartz has been a consistent presence in the circle, ranking among the Big Ten leaders in multiple categories. She sits 11th in ERA and ranks seventh in both wins and strikeouts, while her 115 innings pitched rank fifth in the conference. Schwartz also leads the Big Ten with five shutouts this season and earned Big Ten Player of the Week honors on Feb. 16.
B1G STANDINGS
Minnesota enters the weekend at 6-9 in conference play, positioned in the middle of a tightly contested Big Ten race. Washington leads the standings at 15-0, followed by Nebraska (14-1) and UCLA (16-2), with Oregon (13-2) rounding out the top tier. Indiana (10-5) sits just behind, while Northwestern and Ohio State are tied at 8-7. Penn State and Wisconsin (7-8) are just ahead of the Gophers, while Michigan and Purdue join Minnesota at 6-9.
A TRADITION OF GOPHER SOFTBALL
The 2026 season marks the 52nd year of Minnesota softball. Piper Ritter enters her sixth season as head coach and 19th overall with the program. Bailey Oetting (fourth season) and Roya St. Clair (second season) return as assistant coaches, while Stephanie Lombardo joins the staff after serving as a development coach with the Greensboro Grasshoppers (High-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates).