Huskers Fall to Hawkeyes in Walk-Off Fashion, 3-2

(Photo – Kenny Larabee)

Courtesy: NU Athletic Communications

Iowa City, Iowa – The Nebraska baseball team (21-12, 10-3 Big Ten) saw its six-game Big Ten winning streak come to an end when Iowa won 3-2 on a walk-off at Duane Banks Field on Friday night. All three of Nebraska’s conference losses have been walk-offs.

Senior righty Matt Waldron, making his seventh start of the season, threw 7.2 innings and allowed two runs, while recording six strikeouts and no walks. During his outing, Waldron surpassed 252.1 career innings pitched, which puts him in Nebraska’s top 10. Waldron also passed Bob Sebra for seventh place on Nebraska’s career strikeouts list with 216. Robbie Palkert pitched 1.0 inning of relief and allowed one run, while notching one strikeout.

In the top of the first, Spencer Schwellenbach and Joe Acker each singled, but NU was held scoreless with two runners left on base. The Hawkeyes went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the opening frame.

The Huskers went down in order in the top of the second with two groundouts and a flyout. Waldron retired all three Iowa batters in the bottom of the second.

NU went down in order with two strikeouts and a flyout in the top of the third. Iowa scored one run in the bottom of the third to take the first lead at 1-0. After back-to-back outs to start the frame, the Hawkeyes strung together three consecutive hits, but a groundout left two runners stranded.

The Huskers responded in the top of the fourth with two runs to take a 2-1 lead. Angelo Altavilla drew a leadoff walk and then advanced to third on back-to-back groundouts. Mojo Hagge drove Altavilla in to score with an RBI single. Hagge stole second before scoring on Cam Chick’s RBI single. Chick advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt. Colby Gomes walked to put runners on the corners, but a flyout to right field left the runners on base. Waldron retired all three Hawkeye batters in the bottom of the fourth with one strikeout.

Nebraska left the bases loaded in a scoreless top of the fifth. Schwellenbach reached on an error in the leadoff spot before Aaron Palensky singled. Altavilla reached on a fielder’s choice as Schwellenbach was thrown out at third. With two outs, Luke Roskam was hit-by-pitch to load the bases before an inning-ending groundout. Waldron recorded two strikeouts in a 1-2-3 bottom of the fifth.

Chick hit a leadoff single in the top of the sixth, but was left on base after three consecutive outs. Iowa plated one run in the bottom of the sixth to tie the score at 2-2. The Hawkeyes tallied three hits during the frame and left two runners on.

In the top of the seventh, the Huskers went down in order. Iowa’s leadoff hitter in the seventh singled, but three straight outs left him stranded.

NU left one runner on base in a scoreless top of the eighth. In the bottom of the eighth, the Hawkeyes managed one baserunner via single, but left him stranded as the score remained tied at 2-2.

Henwood reached on a leadoff hit-by-pitch in the ninth, but he was caught stealing before back-to-back outs ended NU’s chance to take the lead. In the bottom of the ninth, the Hawkeyes had a runner on second after a single, fielder’s choice and stolen base. Zeb Adreon hit a walk-off single to right field that brought in the runner from second base.

Nebraska will play Iowa again on Saturday. First pitch is set for 2:05 but coverage will begin at 1:30 on KLIN.