The homestretch of the regular season coincides with a long homestand for Nebraska baseball.

Eight games at Haymarket Park — the most in a row for the Huskers this spring — begin with Kansas State in a meeting of teams still within a fly ball of the NCAA tournament. NU’s RPI (68) is as strong as it’s been since late February while the Wildcats (43) are perhaps just inside the bubble for a regional amid a 7-10 April.

Nebraska’s up-and-down spring continues with no winning streak longer than three games (once) and no losing skid greater than four (once). NU took the final two at Maryland last weekend and arrives with a midweek mark of 6-4.

Kansas State at Nebraska

Scouting Nebraska (21-23)

Can the lineup play hero for the final push of the regular season? A 21-run outburst Sunday — albeit against an erratic Maryland staff — opens eyes to the possibility. Husker hitters like Cayden Brumbaugh, Case Sanderson, Max Buettenback and Joshua Overbeek all boast averages of .300-plus after big weekends while Gabe Swansen (four hits, 7 RBIs Sunday) is again heating up into May.

An extended stay at Haymarket Park hints at further offensive success to come. While Nebraska’s earned-run average and fielding percentage are virtually identical home and away, its run production is up almost a full run (6.94 runs/game) in Lincoln. NU still sits just 193rd nationally in scoring with many of the same contributors from an attack that ranked 153rd last year.

“I think we have one of the best offenses in the country when we’re locked in and focused and intentional about how we go about our business,” NU coach Will Bolt said Sunday after the biggest scoring explosion of his tenure.

Clutch hitting also continues to rise with the temperatures. After going a scalding 20 for 51 (.392) with runners in scoring position against Maryland, the Huskers are batting a season-high .276 overall in such situations.

Scouting Kansas State (26-18)

The Wildcats have played .500 ball since beating Nebraska in Manhattan a month ago. They’re sixth in the 14-team Big 12 after being swept by Oklahoma State and Kansas, sweeping Texas Tech and taking series from UCF and Houston. They remain on pace for the NCAA tournament for a second straight season.

Quick offense is the KSU strength — 77 total home runs are 12th-most nationally with Keegan O’Connor and Maximus Martin (12 apiece) and Dee Kennedy (11) the biggest threats to go yard. A balanced lineup (7.4 runs/game, 90th) also features freshman regular and Lincoln East grad AJ Evasco (.293 average, 11 doubles, seven homers).

Duke, a Baylor transfer, has settled into the midweek starting role the past month. He owns an ERA of 2.12 spanning four starts and 17 innings with 15 strikeouts and seven walks. The Wildcat staff overall has been solid led by three often-used relievers with sub-4 ERAs.

KSU’s Big 12-worst defense sports a fielding percentage that ranks 233rd nationally at .961.

Dugout chatter

» Kansas State has already beaten Nebraska twice this season. The first was a 9-6 finale at the Frisco Classic in early March as Husker pitching issued eight walks and its batters struck out 11 times. Then a mistake-filled first inning March 26 in Manhattan had the Wildcats up five runs right away in an eventual 12-8 result.

» NU made program history during K-State’s last trip to Lincoln a year ago. That’s when Jackson Brockett tossed the team’s first nine-inning individual no-hitter since 1954. That Wildcat team — with many of the main contributors back — later advanced to an NCAA super regional to cap a 35-26 campaign.