Huskers Fall in Season Opener in San Diego

Nebraska suffered a 7-3 setback in its season opener at San Diego on Friday night.

The Huskers had three runs on five hits and didn’t commit an error, while the Toreros totaled seven runs on 10 hits and had one error. The Big Red left 11 runners on base Friday night, compared to USD’s six.

Brice Matthews went 2-for-4 at the plate with a double, two RBI and a walk. Garrett Anglim was 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Dylan Carey had a 1-for-4 night in his collegiate debut, recording his first hit and run in a Husker uniform. Griffin Everitt, Charlie Fischer and Josh Caron drew two walks apiece for the Big Red.

Emmett Olson took the loss after allowing three runs on five hits and struck out five in 5.1 innings of work. Michael Garza tossed 1.1 innings in his Husker debut, allowing one run on two hits and striking out a pair. Corbin Hawkins and Will Rizzo teamed up to pitch the final 1.1 innings, with Rizzo making his collegiate debut.

Everitt, Fischer and Caron drew walks in the open frame to load the bases, but the Huskers couldn’t capitalize to plate the game’s first run.

A walk and a single, followed by a two-RBI double down the right field by Austin Smith plated the game’s first two runs to give USD a 2-0 lead in the second.

The Toreros opened the bottom of the third with a triple down the right field line and a hit batter, but Olson escaped the jam to keep it a two-run game.

Carey collected his first collegiate hit with a ground ball on a checked swing back to the mound to open the fourth.  Anglim reached on a one-out single to center to put two runners on, before Matthews lined a two-RBI double to the wall in left, plating Carey and Anglim.

USD broke the 2-2 tie in the sixth with Kevin Sims’ one-out solo shot to left. An RBI single by Dustin Allen doubled the lead for the Toreros in the seventh, making it a 4-2 game.

Burnham reached on a two-out fielding error and advanced to second on a wild pitch, while scoring on an RBI single by Anglim to trim the deficit to 4-3 in the eighth.

San Diego added to its lead with three runs with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, highlighted by a two-RBI double and an RBI single to clinch the 7-3 win on Friday night.

Nebraska and San Diego continue the series tomorrow evening, with first pitch set for 7 p.m. CT. Saturday’s game will be streamed on the WCC Network, while fans can listen to Greg Sharpe and Ben McLaughlin call the action on the Huskers Radio Network.