If many Nebraska baseball fans, especially the casual ones, seem confused by the tone of the conversation, it’s understandable.
Based on preseason expectations, one could say Nebraska (24-18, 13-8 Big Ten) is overachieving. Yes, overachieving. The Huskers trail first-place Michigan by only three games. The Wolverines (36-11, 14-3), who have won 13 straight contests, come to Lincoln next week for a monster series to end the regular season.
Nebraska’s series loss to Northwestern elicited plenty of grumbling among Erstad’s detractors. Had his team dropped the third game Monday, the anti-Erstad faction would have been further emboldened because the Huskers would have fallen to fifth place in the league standings.