For the third time in four years, IU has a chance to win the Big Ten regular season title.
After winning in 2013 and 2014, the Hoosiers again have a chance to win when they travel to Lincoln, Nebraska, for a three-game series starting Thursday.
Second-place IU will play Nebraska, which is tied for third place with Ohio State. Ohio State is traveling this weekend to play Minnesota, which currently has a half-game lead against IU for first place in the Big Ten.
IU has won six straight Big Ten series after losing its first at Rutgers in March. Two of the series wins were sweeps. Minnesota has also won six of its seven Big Ten series, with the one series loss coming at home against IU earlier this month.
Since the Gophers have a half-game lead against the Hoosiers, IU needs to win at least one more game than Minnesota.
If Minnesota wins two games, IU needs to win all three. If Minnesota wins one game, IU needs to win two.
But a sweep might not be possible for IU. Nebraska has yet to be swept all season at home, and has won 18 of its 22 games in Lincoln this season.
The Hoosiers, on the other hand, have won half of their 20 games on the road this season, and have won seven of their last 10.
IU is also now sporting a more complete starting rotation with the resurgence of senior pitcher Evan Bell. After not winning any of his first 11 starts this season, Bell has won each of his last two, including a complete game in his last start May 15 at Illinois.
Even though Nebraska is only 2.5 games out of first, it is already mathematically eliminated from winning the Big Ten. Ohio State would win a tiebreaker against Nebraska, and the only way either of those teams can surpass IU and Minnesota is if they both pull off sweeps.
That means the only way Ohio State can win the Big Ten is if it sweeps Minnesota while Nebraska also sweeps IU.
The final regular season standings will also set the seeding for the Big Ten Tournament starting May 25.
Michael Hughes
