Early Offense Sparks Nebraska in 9-5 Win vs. ORU

The Husker offense produced two three-run innings in the first three innings on Tuesday night, as the Huskers posted a 9-5 win over Oral Roberts at Hawks Field.

Nebraska (21-29) totaled nine runs on 14 hits and an error, while the Golden Eagles (33-17) had five runs on 10 hits.

Dawson McCarville made his 11th start of the season, improving to 4-5. McCarville tossed five innings, allowing five runs on eight hits and striking out five ORU batters. Chandler Benson threw 1.2 innings of one-hit relief with a trio of strikeouts. Mason Ornelas picked up his first save of the year after tossing the final 2.1 innings for the Huskers.

Max Anderson and Leighton Banjoff paced the Husker offense with three hits apiece. Anderson was 3-for-4 with a double, two RBI and three runs on the night. Banjoff went 3-for-4 with three RBI. Garrett Anglim had a 2-for-5 game with a solo homer and two runs, while Colby Gomes was 2-for-3 with a double, two runs and an RBI. Cam Chick, Griffin Everitt, Core Jackson and Efry Cervantes had one hit each in the win.

Oral Roberts scored three of its five runs on four hits in the first inning. The Golden Eagles had the bases loaded with two outs after three consecutive singles, before Holden Breeze ripped a bases-clearing RBI double down the left field line to put ORU ahead 3-0 in the first.

Nebraska responded with three runs of its own on three hits to tie the game back up after one inning. Singles from Chick and Anderson put two runners on, while Gomes was hit by pitch to load the bases with two outs for the Huskers. Chick trotted on home on a wild pitch and Banjoff dropped a two-RBI single to right field to tie the game at three.

The Huskers tacked on three more runs in the third to grab a 6-3 advantage. Anglim opened the bottom of the third with a double to left, followed by Everitt drawing a walk on full count. Anderson gave the Big Red a two-run lead after drilling a two-RBI double down the right field line to plate Anglim and Everitt. Banjoff drove Anderson home with a one-out RBI single to left to cap the scoring the Huskers in the third.

Anglim grew the Husker lead to four after blasting a 1-2 pitch for a solo shot to left field. Anderson reached on a two-out infield single and advanced to second on a wild pitch before scoring on Gomes’ RBI single to right.

After allowing three first-inning runs, McCarville blanked Oral Roberts in the next four innings to help the Huskers maintain an 8-3 lead after five innings.

A bunt single and Breeze’s two-run home run to left brought the Golden Eagles within 8-5 in the sixth inning. Benson replaced McCarville on the mound and recorded the three outs in the sixth to keep the lead at three.

Gomes started the bottom of the seventh with a double to left and moved to third on Banjoff’s bunt single, where Banjoff was later tagged out after attempting to advance to second. Gomes scored Nebraska’s ninth run of the night on Jackson’s RBI fielder’s choice to first base, giving the Huskers a 9-5 lead after seven innings.

Ornelas shut out the Golden Eagles in the eighth inning and induced a 4-6-3 double play in the ninth to clinch the 9-5 win vs. Oral Roberts on Tuesday night.