#4 Huskers Softball Hosts Rutgers for Weekend Series

Nebraska looks to continue momentum after series win over UCLA

Apr. 3, 2026 at 4:06pm

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A cubist-style painting featuring overlapping geometric shapes in red, blue, and yellow, capturing the dynamic energy of a softball game.Nebraska's softball team looks to maintain its focus and intensity as it hosts Rutgers in a key Big Ten series.Lincoln Today

The #4 Nebraska Cornhuskers softball team hosts the Rutgers Scarlet Knights for a three-game series this weekend at Bowlin Stadium in Lincoln. The Huskers are coming off a series win over #7 UCLA and look to keep their strong play going against a Rutgers team that is 18-18 overall and 3-9 in Big Ten play.

Why it matters

This series against Rutgers kicks off the final five-weekend Big Ten Conference stretch for the Huskers, who are currently 3rd in the RPI rankings. With their remaining opponents ranging from #47 to #138 in RPI, Nebraska will look to take care of business against the lower-ranked teams and continue building their resume for the postseason.

The details

The Huskers have a decided pitching and hitting advantage over Rutgers, whose team ERA is 5.50 compared to Nebraska's 2.15. The Scarlet Knights' top pitcher, Kelsey Hoekstra, has a 3.52 ERA, while the Huskers' lineup is batting .342 as a team. Nebraska should be able to feast on Rutgers' pitching, especially with the wind expected to be blowing in at Bowlin Stadium this weekend.

  • The series begins on Friday, April 3 at 5 p.m. CST.
  • Game two is on Saturday, April 4 at 1 p.m. CST.
  • The series finale is on Sunday, April 5 at 12 p.m. CST.

The players

Rutgers

The Scarlet Knights are 18-18 overall and 3-9 in Big Ten play this season. They are led by head coach Kristen Butler, who is in her 8th season at Rutgers and 12th overall as a head coach.

Riley Hwang

Rutgers' leading hitter with a .365 batting average, 5 home runs, 7 doubles, and 22 RBIs.

Addie Osborne

Rutgers' second-leading hitter with a .322 average, 16 extra-base hits, and a team-high 29 RBIs.

Kelsey Hoekstra

Rutgers' top pitcher with a 3.52 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 63.2 innings.

Nebraska Cornhuskers

The #4 ranked Huskers are 27-6 overall and 6-3 in Big Ten play. They are coming off a series win over #7 UCLA.

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What they’re saying

“With a series win over #7 UCLA in the rear-view, the Huskers now begin their final 5-weekend Big 10 Conference stretch against opponents ranging from #47-#138 in RPI. That's not great. First up is Rutgers who ranks 84th. Anything other than a sweep this weekend is not great.”

— Andy Ketterson, Author

What’s next

The Huskers will face a tough midweek matchup against #46 RPI UNO Mavericks on April 21st before continuing their Big Ten schedule.

The takeaway

Nebraska has a prime opportunity to build on their recent success and solidify their position as one of the top teams in the country by taking care of business against lower-ranked opponents like Rutgers. A series sweep this weekend would keep the Huskers on track for a strong finish to the regular season.