After fending off elimination with a 3-1 victory over Illinois on Friday afternoon, the fourth-seeded Gophers have to come right back and play third-seeded Nebraska in another Big Ten Tournament elimination game.

The Gophers will start lefthander Dalton Sawyer, a true freshman from Waconia, Minn.. He is 2-2 with a 3.09 ERA, but all 17 of his appearances have come in relief. Nebraska counters with senior righthander Ryan Hander.

The Gophers are 2-1 so far in the tournament, and Nebraska is 1-1. The winner of this game will play Saturday at 3:35 p.m., against either Indiana or Ohio State.

Nebraska went 2-1 against the Gophers at Siebert Field in mid-May, outscoring Minnesota in that series 17-4.

Don't let the Cornhuskers' 26-29 record fool you. Darin Erstad's team played a tough non-conference schedule with series against Cal State Fullerton, Texas, UC-Irvine, Arkansas and Oklahoma State.

GOPHERS (32-21)

1. Schaefbauer, 2B
2. Schlangen, RF
3. Henkemeyer, LF
4. Halloran, C
5. Olinger, 1B
6. Tatera, DH
7. Handel, SS
8. Abrahamson, 3B
9. Larson, CF

Starting pitcher: LH Sawyer (2-2, 3.09 ERA)

NEBRASKA (26-29)

1. Kelly, 2B
2. Pritchard, LF
3. Christensen, RF
4. Kalkowski, 1B
5. Scheffert, DH
6. Headley, 3B
7. Lubach, C
8. Darby, CF
9. Peters, SS

Starting pitcher: RH Hander (0-2, 6.00 ERA)

Target Field. First pitch: 3:35 p.m. TV: Big Ten Network