BSB Preview: Creighton Travels to Nebraska and Villanova

Omaha, Neb. -- Creighton begins the week against local rival Nebraska, then returns to BIG EAST action at Villanova this weekend.

Creighton at Nebraska -- April 14 @ 6:00 pm
BTN - https://www.foxsports.com/live/btn
Stat Broadcast - https://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statmonitr.php?gid=crei
Radio: 1620 AM

Creighton at Villanova
April 17 @ 2:00 pm
ESPN+ - https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/b16fa877-1f82-4874-8379-824b41c99e1c
Stat Broadcast - https://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statmonitr.php?gid=crei

April 18 @ 1:00 pm
ESPN+ - https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/c0b8141c-1932-493b-831e-78859a201803
Stat Broadcast - https://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statmonitr.php?gid=crei

April 19 @ 11:30 am
ESPN+ - https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/21f554ef-1b26-4156-8a64-899d349a2c6b
Stat Broadcast - https://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statmonitr.php?gid=crei

Series History with Nebraska (Bluejays Trail 95-57-2)
Creighton and Nebraska have met 154 times, with the Huskers holding a significant edge all-time. The Bluejays, however, have won 13 of the last 17 contests.

Last 25 Meetings
3/31/15 at #18 Nebraska L 1-5
4/14/15 #23 Nebraska L 6-7
4/28/15 Nebraska L 6-7
3/29/16 at Nebraska L 2-8
4/12/16 Nebraska W 4-3
5/17/16 Nebraska L 2-15
4/4/17 at Nebraska L 6-14
4/18/17 Nebraska W 5-2
5/10/17 Nebraska L 0-4
3/27/18 Nebraska W 3-1
4/24/18 at Nebraska W 12-9
5/8/18 Nebraska W 5-4
3/26/19 Nebraska L 3-6
4/9/19 at Nebraska W 10-2
4/23/19 Nebraska W 2-1
3/29/22 Nebraska W 3-2
3/21/23 Nebraska W 6-5
4/18/23 at Nebraska W 6-5
5/9/23 Nebraska L 4-7
4/2/24 Nebraska W 5-3
4/16/24 at Nebraska W 6-5
4/30/24 Nebraska W 9-5
4/1/25 at Nebraska W 9-5
4/15/25 Nebraska L 3-6
5/6/25 at Nebraska W 8-7
3/31/26 Nebraska L 5-6

Series History: Creighton Leads Villanova, 29-4
After dropping the first meeting as BIG EAST foes in 2014, Creighton won 24 consecutive games against Villanova. Overall the Bluejays are 29-4 against the Wildcats, including 11-3 at Plymouth Meeting.

Previous Meetings
3/10/84 $ vs. Villanova W 5-4
4/17/14 * at Villanova L 3-6
4/18/14 * at Villanova W 12-6
4/19/14 * at Villanova W 4-0
5/14/15 * Villanova W 13-5
5/15/15 * Villanova W 4-2
5/16/15 * Villanova W 4-3
4/29/16 * at Villanova W 9-3
4/30/16 * at Villanova W 10-4
4/30/16 * at Villanova W 6-5
4/21/17 * Villanova W 6-5
4/22/17 * Villanova W 11-2
4/23/17 * Villanova W 2-1
5/11/18 * at Villanova W 4-0
5/12/18 * at Villanova W 6-1
5/12/18 * at Villanova W 3-2
5/16/19 * Villanova W 10-1
5/17/19 * Villanova W 4-1
5/18/19 * Villanova W 8-2
4/9/21 * Villanova W 9-2
4/10/21 * Villanova W 10-0 (8)
4/11/21 * Villanova W 8-0
5/19/22 * at Villanova W 7-1
5/21/22 * at Villanova W 7-5 (10)
4/6/23 * Villanova W 6-0
4/7/23 * Villanova W 2-0
4/8/23 * Villanova L 6-8 (10)
4/19/24 * at Villanova W 14-6
4/20/24 * at Villanova L 6-13
4/21/24 * at Villanova L 5-6
4/25/25 * Villanova W 3-2 (12)
4/26/25 * Villanova W 6-3
4/27/25 * Villanova W 12-3
$ - Neutral games in Miami, Fla.
* - BIG EAST Regular Season Game

Scouting Creighton (18-15, 4-2 BIG EAST)
The Bluejays are on a four-game win streak, as they head to Lincoln. Balanced offensive production and pitching power allowed Creighton to post 23 runs while holding Seton Hall to just three runs in a three game stretch.

Creighton led off the series with a 5-0 shutout thanks to the pairing of six-inning clutch pitching from Jack Pineau on the mound with solid offense. The Bluejays scored two runs to open the game and notched two more in the fourth with an RBI home run from Isaac Wachsmann.

Pitching held strong in the second game, as Shea Wendt had his way with the Seton Hall offense over a career-high seven innings. The junior threw 100 pitches, giving up just three hits and posting six strikeouts. After Seton Hall scored once in the first frame, the Bluejays steamrolled the next eight innings, scoring in all but two innings.

With the series already in hand, the Bluejays finished the sweep with a 9-2 victory and saw the anticipated return of pitcher Wilson Magers result in three hitless innings. Creighton's offense shone once again, as Wachsmann recorded another homer in the third inning — his fourth in Creighton's last five games — to help jump start the Creighton offense.

Home runs continued to rain down, as Nick Venteicher got a piece of the action for his first home run and North posted his sixth bomb of 2026.

Scouting Nebraska (27-9)
A tough week saw the Huskers drop a midweek battle with
Kansas and two of three at Oregon. Day one of the series ended in a close 7-6 decision in favor of Oregon, despite Nebraska's Dylan Carey bolstering the team with three RBI and a home run and Mac Moyer going 2-for-4 and posting 2 RBI.

In the second game, Nebraska fired back with solid offense, as Case Sanderson swung big for two home runs and Nebraska rallied from a five-run deficit to earn a 10-8 victory and tie the series. Sanderson's 3-for-5 performance resulted in five RBI on the evening.

Oregon pulled out the narrow 5-4 victory in the series decider. The two teams traded runs in the first three innings before a sixth inning, three-run showing for Oregon gave the Ducks a 5-4 lead they wouldn't relinquish.

This season, Moyer spearheads the team with a .401 batting average, while Carey (.378) leads the team with 10 home runs and 48 RBI and Sanderson (.362) recorded three of his four home runs this season in the Oregon series.

On the mound, Cooper Kayskee, making 11 appearances this season and one in the final game of the Cornhuskers' most
recent series, holds a team-high 5-0 record.

Scouting Villanova (11-20, 0-6 BIG EAST)
Villanova lost its second consecutive Big East series at Xavier this weekend, falling to 0-6 in BIG EAST play.

After Villanova began the game with a one-run score, Xavier responded with two runs in the first and two in the second. By the top of the seventh, with Xavier leading 7-1, three Villanova runs weren't enough to complete the comeback and Xavier nailed the coffin shut by responding with another run in the seventh and holding Villanova scoreless in the final two innings.

Villanova got out to an early lead in the second game of the series. However, after taking a 7-4 lead heading into the eighth thanks to a run in the first, four runs in the second and one more in the third, Xavier stole the lead in the final two frames. The Musketeers racked up five unanswered scores in the eighth and ninth innings to win the game 9-7.

In the series finale, Xavier got off to a 9-1 lead by the end of the eighth inning. In the ninth, Villanova staged a near-comeback, driving in five runs with help from Brayden Leonard and Collin Quintano. The Musketeers held firm despite the late Villanova runs, taking the series sweep with the final 9-6 victory.

This season, Leonard and Quintano, Villanova's essential pieces in the close comeback, help lead the Wildcat offense. Quintano paces the team with seven home runs, 30 RBI and a .327 batting average, while Leonard holds a .294 batting average and 22 RBI — tied for second-most on the team behind Michael Whooley.

First shutout since March 25, 2025
A series leadoff shutout, 5-0, against Seton Hall marks the Bluejays' first shutout in 70 games. In the shutout performance, pitcher Jack Pineau was instrumental, notching eight strikeouts, and allowing just four hits and one walk

Last time Creighton kept their opponent's offense smothered was on March 25, 2025 with a seven-inning, 10-0 decision at Omaha.

In that game, Creighton's offense exploded, recording multiple runs scored in four innings. The Bluejays opened the game with three runs in the first, followed by two in the fourth, three in the fifth and two in the sixth.

Ian Koosman earned himself the win in five innings, allowing just two hits and throwing seven strikeouts.

Bluejays Earn Trio of Weekly Honors
Ben North, Isaac Wachsmann and Jack Pineau each earned recognition from the BIG EAST as the trio led Creighton to a 4-0 mark (April 5-12), posting a dominant 16-4 midweek win over North Dakota State and a sweep of Seton Hall.

North led Creighton to four wins last week (4-0) with a .538 average (7-for-13) with six RBI, three doubles, a home run, six stolen bases, a .667 on-base percentage and a 1.000 slugging percentage. The Bluejay shortstop also flashed his glove with several spectacular plays to sweep Seton Hall. He delivered at least one hit in each game, posting multiple twice. Ben capped the week with four RBI in the series finale with the Pirates, blasting his eighth double and sixth home run of the season.

Creighton's ace opened the weekend against Seton Hall with six shutout innings, notching eight strikeouts in 106 pitches. Jack allowed just four hits and one walk, helping Creighton deliver its first shutout of the season. It was also Creighton's first shutout since March 25, 2025, a span of 70 games. Pineau worked out of a two-hit jam in the first inning with back-to-back strikeouts, then limited the Pirates to two hits over the next five frames.

Wachsmann came on for his best week of the season, hitting three home runs out of Charles Schwab Field. The Bluejay center fielder closed the week hitting 6-got-13 (.462) with seven RBI and a 1.143 slugging percentage. Wachsmann accounted for three RBI and two runs scored in Creighton's 5-0 win in the series opener against Seton Hall.

Look at Last Five From Atop Charles Schwab
Over the last five games Creighton is 4-1 with 48 runs scored and hitting .333 as a team. On the bump the Bluejays have held the opposition to .199 at the plate, allowing 18 runs for a 3.86 ERA.

Capece and Wachsmann Bringing the Hot Plate Back
Over the last five games the hottest Bluejay at the dish has been Ben North, hitting .500 (9-for-18) with two home runs, seven RBI, five walks and seven stolen bases.

One of the reasons that North is getting more pitches to hit is the production of Connor Capece and Isaac Wachsmann. The duo are a combined 15-for-36 (.417) over the past five games with four home runs, 13 RBI and 13 runs scored.

Wachsmann has four long balls and 10 RBI in the last five games alone.

Rotation Coming Together
The return of Wilson Magers on Sunday, April 12 and the emergence of Shea Wendt over his last two outings has Creighton pitching coach Billy Mohl beginning to smirk just a bit.

In the Bluejays' weekend series with Seton Hall, the trio of starters (Jack Pineau, Wendt and Magers) tossed a combined 16 innings. The trio allowed just two runs on seven hits and four walks.

Carrying Home Production On the Road
With just two home series remaining in BIG EAST play, Creighton will look to carry the success it has found in Charles Schwab Field Omaha on the road.

Despite playing in a pitcher friendly ballpark, Creighton is 11-3 with a .275 average at home this season. While on the road the Bluejays at 6-9 with an average of .251. On neutral fields the Bluejays are 1-3, hitting .316.

On the mound the Bluejays have a 7.68 ERA in 36.1 innings on neutral fields. On the road the number is 7.81 in 125.2 frames, while at home Creighton pitching has a 2.90 ERA in 124 innings.

BSB Preview: Creighton Travels to Nebraska and Villanova

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Players Mentioned

Connor Capece

Ian Koosman

Wilson Magers

Ben North

Jack Pineau

Nick Venteicher

Isaac Wachsmann

Shea Wendt