Huskers Fall at No. 23 Maryland on Friday Night

Nebraska opened its weekend series with an 8-4 loss at No. 23 Maryland on Friday night at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium in College Park, Md.

Nebraska (24-18-1, 9-7 Big Ten) scored four runs on seven hits and an error, while the Terrapins (32-15, 12-4 Big Ten) totaled eight runs on nine hits.

Emmett Olson allowed six runs, four earned, on six hits and three walks in 4.1 innings to drop to 5-3 on the season. Corbin Hawkins tossed three innings, surrendering two runs on three hits. Jake Bunz recorded the final two outs, collecting one strikeout.

Max Anderson led the Huskers at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and two runs. Josh Caron was 1-for-2 with a home run, two walks and run scored, while Casey Burnham, Gabe Swansen, Charlie Fischer and Griffin Everitt recorded a hit. Brice Matthews drew a walk to extend his on-base streak to 46 games.

Nebraska grabbed a two-run lead in the opening frame after Anderson’s no-doubt two-run homer to left-center. Burnham lifted a double that one-hopped the wall in right-center, before Anderson drilled his team-leading 17th home run of the season.

Maryland cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the first after a pair of singles and a sacrifice fly made it a 2-1 game after the opening inning.

The Big Red had the first two hitters reach in the fourth after a walk to Swansen and single by Fischer. Garrett Anglim followed with a sacrifice bunt to advance the two Huskers to second and third with one out. A walk to Caron loaded the bases with two outs, but the Big Red couldn’t add to the lead.

Olson retired eight consecutive Maryland batters until surrendering a walk with one out in the fifth. A single followed by an RBI double to right-center by Luke Shliger tied the game at two. Nick Lorusso’s bases-clearing double down the left-field line, and a sacrifice fly to right had Maryland out front 6-2 after five innings.

Caron brought the Huskers within three after drilling a solo blast to left in the seventh with his sixth home run of the season.

Nebraska got within 6-4 after three consecutive one-out singles in the eighth. Singles from Anderson and Swansen set the table for Everitt’s pinch-hit RBI single to left.

The Terrapins had runners on second and third with one after a single and a double, before a pair of wild pitches grew the lead to 8-4 in the eighth inning.

Nebraska and Maryland continue the series tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. CT at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium in College Park, Md.