Husker Heroics Stun Buckeyes, 11-9

Bloomington, Ind. – Jaxon Hallmark’s ninth-inning RBI triple broke a nine-all deadlock, as the Huskers rallied from a seven-run deficit for an improbable 11-9 victory over Ohio State Saturday afternoon in the Bloomington pod.

Nebraska (27-11) trailed 9-2 after six frames, but pushed across five runs in the seventh and four more in the ninth to extend their lead in the Big Ten race heading into tonight’s matchup with Indiana.

The comeback began in the seventh as Nebraska got five runs on just three hits. NU took advantage with two walks, a hit batter and a pair of Buckeye wild pitches in the frame.

After leaving the bases loaded in the eighth against OSU reliever Jack Neely, the Huskers struck in the ninth. Cam Chick drew a walk to open the frame before Griffin Everitt tied the game with a two-run homer to left. Joe Acker then singled and moved to second on an error – one of four for the Buckeyes on the day to chase Neely. Hallmark than greeted TJ Brock with a triple to right center for the go-ahead run before coming home on Spencer Schwellenbach’s RBI single.

Schwellenbach, who went 4-for-6 to lead NU’s 11-hit attack, pitched a perfect ninth for his seventh save of the season, as Nebraska posted its largest come-from-behind win since overcoming a seven-run deficit against Maryland on May 5, 2018.  

Emmett Olson (1-0) earned the win, fanning three over two shutout innings after the Buckeyes combined for seven runs in the fifth and sixth frames.  Neely (2-3) took the loss, allowing three runs on four hits in 1.1 innings of work.

For the Huskers, the top three spots in the lineup – Acker, Hallmark and Schwellenbach – combined for nine of NU’s 11 hits and scored five runs, while Everitt drove in two runs and scored twice. With the win, the Huskers have won six in a row dating back to May 9.

For the first six innings, OSU starter Seth Lonsway was the story, as he allowed two hits and left with a 9-2 lead. The left-hander fanned nine in a 106-pitch effort, but received a no decision.

Connor Pohl’s two-run homer in the bottom of the first gave OSU an early 2-0 lead, but NU pushed across runs in the second and fifth innings to tie the score. In the second, two walks and a throwing error accounted for the run, while Hallmark, who went 3-for-6 on the day, knotted the score in the fifth with his sixth homer of the season.

The Buckeyes would come back with three runs off of NU starter Shay Schanaman and chased the Husker starter after scoring four in the sixth, as he allowed six earned runs on nine hits over 5.1 innings of work.

Marcus Ernst and Zach Dezenzo had three hits apiece for Ohio State (19-17), while Pohl drove in a team-high three runs.

The Huskers will play their second game of the day this afternoon against Indiana. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m. and the game will be carried on the Learfield IMG Husker Sports Network and televised on ESPNU and on the ESPN app.