On Senior Day last spring, Nebraska first baseman Case Sanderson dug into the box with runners on first and second in the ninth inning.
Michigan’s Dylan Vigue tried to beat Sanderson to the inside corner, but the left-handed hitting Sanderson crushed into the Haymarket Park parking lot in right to give Nebraska a walk-off win.
The blast was a rarity for Sanderson, a hitter known for a mature approach at the plate who has just six home runs among his 112 collegiate hits through two seasons.
As Nebraska baseball turns the calendar toward the 2026 season, the Husker offense is hoping for more glimpses of that power from Sanderson.
During the fall and so far this spring, coaches have worked with Sanderson to go from being a hitter who just hits for a high average to one who can drive in runs in the middle of the lineup. Sanderson is a career .320 hitter in Lincoln, but the Husker staff would like to see more aggressive swings to try and drive in more runs.
“They said this year they want me to be more of that guy who goes up there and drives in runs,” Sanderson said last week. “I’ve displayed power in the batting cages and in the fall and just to be that guy who more of an impact on this team and not just going back side and hitting singles, but somebody who is willing to take that extra step and slug more.”
Last year as a sophomore, Sanderson was largely kept out of the middle of the lineup. Early in the season, he batted leadoff and then was moved around the batting order.
He hit .267 across 31 games in the Cape Cod League this summer and when he returned to Nebraska for fall ball, showed off a little more pop at the plate. Sanderson tied for the team lead this fall with eight doubles and hit better than .400 with a on-base percentage better than .500.
Nebraska looked to add more power across its lineup during the offseason, and Sanderson adding more pop could pair well with newcomers Jett Buck and veteran returning bats like Dylan Carey.
“I think we have a lot of key dudes with Jett Buck having like eight homers in the fall. Dylan Carey a lot of new guys like Cole Kitchens,” Sanderson said. “It’s a lot of guys displaying a lot of power so I think its going to be a lot of fun to watch. Me, I’m making some adjustments to help this team.”