Huskers drop game 2 against Michigan State

The Nebraska baseball team (19-7) fell to Michigan State (12-16) in the second game of the series 4-2. The Huskers will look to take the series win tomorrow in game three.

NU got on the board in the first inning when Joe Acker hit a single and worked his way around the bases on a walk, a wild pitch and a throwing error. Although the offense started early, they weren’t able to score often as they went cold for the next two innings.

Chance Hroch was the starter for the Big Red and he was able to go six innings deep. In the third inning, the senior gave up a double and a base hit that tied the game. In the following inning, Nebraska regained the lead with a solo home run from Luke Roskam.

In the fifth inning, Hroch got into a jam after giving up three base hits that scored the tying run. The next at-bat, a ground ball was hit to Max Anderson at third base, and he was unable to make a tough play that scored the go-ahead run for the Spartans. Hroch struck out the final batter of the inning with no further damage.

In the seventh inning, after giving up a double, Chance Hroch’s outing was over. Tyler Martin came in to reliever the starter, and he struggled right away. A base hit that score a run and a hit batter was all that Martin accounted for. Cam Wynne took the mound with no outs and two runners on, and he was able to get out of the inning with no hits or runs allowed. Wynne finished the day for the Huskers giving up no hits or runs in the two innings he pitched.

After falling behind, NU only recorded one hit in the final four innings which wasn’t enough to mount a comeback in this game.

The Big Red were 0-10 with runners in scoring position on the day. Early on was when Nebraska had changes to break the game open, but they were didn’t take advantage. In the fourth inning, after Roskam regained the lead for the Huskers, they left Brice Matthews stranded on third after he hit a double and advanced on a wild pitch. In the second inning, NU had runners on first and second with no outs, but two pop ups and a strikeout ended the inning. The team will look at opportunities like those as missed chances to take a win in this game.

The story in this game was not the Big Red getting outscored. Chance Hroch did not get much help from his offense when he didn’t have a bad outing. The senior pitched six full innings and gave up seven hits and four runs, only three of them earned runs. Hroch also struck out six batters. Tyler Martin only faced two batters, who both got on base, but Cam Wynne was able to keep them from scoring. Wynne also pitched two full innings and gave up no hits and no runs. In most games this season, if the pitchers only allow four runs, the Nebraska offense would be able to leave with a win.

The Huskers will face off against the Spartans in a rubber match tomorrow at 11:05 a.m. NU hasn’t lost a series, so they will be looking to keep that streak alive in East Lansing.

The game can be streamed on BTN+ and heard on Husker Sports Network.

Following this series, the Big Red will head home for a three-game series against Rutgers.