Courtesy of Husker Athletics
Nebraska scored in three consecutive innings to plate the tying run in the bottom of the ninth inning before falling 6-4 in 10 innings vs. Minnesota on Friday night at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park.
Nebraska (22-24, 9-13 Big Ten) scored four runs on nine hits and two errors, while Minnesota (22-22, 8-14 Big Ten) totaled six runs, 12 hits and one error.
Cayden Brumbaugh was 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored, while Joshua Overbeek went 2-for-5 with a solo home run. Gabe Swansen, Tyler Stone and Will Jesske had one hit each.
Will Walsh allowed four runs, three earned, on seven hits across four innings of work. Drew Christo tossed 2.2 scoreless frames, followed by Caleb Clark and Gavin Blachowicz combining for 1.1 shutout innings.
Luke Broderick dropped to 2-2 on the season after surrendering two runs on three hits and a pair of walks in 1.2 innings. Casey Daiss recorded the final out for the NU pitching staff.
Minnesota grabbed the early lead in the top of the first with a two-out solo homer into the left-field berm.
The Huskers answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the opening frame to lock the game at one. Brumbaugh ripped a double to the right-center gap, and Buettenback drew a full-count walk to put runners on first and second with one out.
A double-steal move the duo to second and third, before an RBI groundout from Swansen tied the game at one.
The Gophers plated three runs on a trio of hits and a throwing error in the top of the fourth to take a 4-1 lead. A leadoff double, followed by a pair of singles, had Minnesota out front 2-1. The Gophers extended the lead to 3-1 with a sacrifice bunt.
Minnesota tacked on one more to build the lead to three in the top of the fourth with an RBI groundout after the inning was extended by a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt.
Jesske reached on a one-out double down the left-field line in the bottom of the seventh and scored on a two-out throwing error to bring the Big Red within 4-2 after seven innings.
Clark and Blachowicz worked a scoreless eighth inning, while Overbeek sent an 0-1 pitch over the fence in right for his fifth home run of the season to make it a 4-3 game in the bottom of the eighth.
Down to their final strike in the bottom of the ninth, the NU offense plated the tying run to send the game into extra innings. Brumbaugh worked a four-pitch walk, before Swansen ripped a single up the middle to put runners on first and third with two outs.
Facing an 0-2 count, Stone smack and RBI single through the right side to plate Brumbaugh and tie the game at four. Case Sanderson worked a four-pitch walk to load the bases for the Huskers, but a flyout to deep left field put a halt to the Huskers’ threat in the bottom of the ninth.
The Gophers had a pair of baserunners with one out after a walk and a single, while a two-RBI single up the middle gave Minnesota its 6-4 lead in the top of the 10th inning.
Carey drew a leadoff walk to bring the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the 10th, but the next three Huskers were retired in order to preserve Minnesota’s 6-4 win on Friday night.
Nebraska and Minnesota continue the weekend series tomorrow afternoon at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park. First pitch between the Huskers and Gophers is set for 2:02 p.m. on B1G+.
