No. 8 UCLA softball (28-3, 9-0 Big Ten) will face its first ranked conference opponent in No. 6 Nebraska (24-5, 6-0) in a three-game series spanning from Friday to Sunday. Both teams are riding substantial winning streaks heading into the weekend matchup. The Bruins have won 22-straight games, and the Cornhuskers have won 13-straight contests. Daily Bruin contributor Lucas Francke will analyze Nebraska’s strengths and weaknesses.

Nebraska Personnel:

Position Player to Watch: Jesse Farrell

Pitcher to Watch: Jordy Frahm

X-Factor: Hannah Camenzind

Nebraska Stat Profile:

Batting Average: .326

Runs: 190

Earned Run Average: 1.98

Finals week is finished for UCLA students, but for this team, the real test is just beginning.

As the Bruins ride a 22-game win streak, they will need to find rhythm early to take down the Cornhuskers.

Nebraska has looked sharp on both sides of the ball, outsourcing its opponents 190-69. The Bruins have scored 364 runs in the 2026 campaign, good for a +231 run differential. Unlike the powerful offensive lineup that the Bruins boast, the Cornhuskers only have one athlete with double-digit home runs.

This athlete with 10 home runs also happens to be their go-to pitcher: senior Jordy Frahm. She boasts a 1.39 ERA across 80.2 innings pitched – the most out of any Cornhusker pitcher. Frahm also has a .422 batting average with a team-leading 38 hits.

Another player that has helped Nebraska thrive is freshman pitcher Alexis Jensen. She is also a two-way player and boasts a 2.87 ERA across 70.2 innings pitched – the second most on the team. She carries the most wins on the team with 11 and has 114 strikeouts. Jensen has hit at a .438 clip and has 14 hits this season.

Having two two-way players is always unique, but the Cornhuskers have a third as well.

Senior pitcher Hannah Camenzind boasts a team-leading 1.00 ERA along with a .375 batting average. She has four wins with no losses and has allowed just 23 hits. Camenzind is second on the team in doubles with 8 and has plated 24 runners.

With three of the top four batting averages on the team coming from two-way players, coach Rhonda Revelle knows how to properly utilize her players.

But the Cornhuskers also have several other athletes who perform at a high level.

Junior catcher Jessie Farrell has been prolific at the plate, recording a .345 batting average, and she ranks second on the team in home runs and runs with 9 and 22, respectively. She is also one of five Cornhuskers to hit a triple this season.

Seniors infielder Katelyn Caneda and outfielder Kacie Hoffmann have also been strong players for the Cornhuskers. Caneda has a .333 average while Hoffman boasts a .321 clip and both seniors have two home runs this season. Caneda has only started in four games out of her 20 appearances, while Hoffman has started in 27 out of the 28 contests she has played in.

The Bruins must find a way to disrupt the Cornhuskers’ two-way players and stay dominant at the plate against a very strong Cornhusker bullpen. Nebraska will need to continue to do as the squad has done all season – find a way to score runs when it matters most.

The Cornhuskers have a combined 1.98 ERA, compared to the Bruins’ 4.50, but the Bruins have a .410 batting average, compared to the Cornhuskers’ .326 average.

With Nebraska having the better pitching and UCLA having the stronger bats, it will likely come down to which strong suit dominates.