Huskers fall to the Razorbacks, will face elimination

The Nebraska baseball team (32-13) went down early to Arkansas (48-10) and was unable to mount a comeback, falling 5-1. The Huskers will play New Jersey Tech tomorrow in an elimination game.

Chance Hroch started on the mound for NU and got behind quickly as the Razorbacks hit a solo home run to lead off the game. In the second inning, their lead was extended as Hroch gave up two hits and walked two batters, scoring two runs. After going down 3-0, the senior stared to settle in, but the damage had been done.

The Big Red bats were also struggling early, and through five innings, they only had one hit. In the sixth inning, Luke Roskam followed up Joe Acker’s leadoff single and drove him in to make it 3-1.

Emmett Olson and Cam Wynne had worked just over one inning after the starter in the fourth and fifth innings with no hits, however in the sixth, an error and a walk ended his day for Jake Bunz to come in. The junior walked a batter to load the bases, then walked in a run followed by a passed ball to make it 5-1.

Max Schreiber closed out the sixth inning after Nebraska had gotten into trouble and he threw 2/3 of an inning with no hits allowed. Tyler Martin pithed the final innings for the Huskers and allowed just one hit, but the offense was unable to get back into the game.

NU had the same number of hits as the Razorbacks in this game, but on the mound the Big Red fell behind. Nebraska pitchers walked 10 batters and hit one while Arkansas allowed just two free bases. In a moment when those free bases changed the game was the bottom of the sixth inning after the Huskers brought a run back. NU walked four batters in that inning and hit another to drive in a run. A passed ball drove in the other to set the Big Red back even further. For the Big Ten leaders in walks allowed, this game was uncharacteristic from the mound.

With five hits, only two of those runners got into scoring position. Nebraska got one of the two across, but those were the only chances they had. After going down 5-1, Cam Chick led off with a double and made it to third, but he wasn’t driven in. The only other runner in scoring position was Joe Acker who was driven in by Roskam. With seven runners on base in the game, only two getting into scoring position and one getting across wasn’t enough for NU.

The Big Red will face off against NJIT tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. in an elimination game. With a win, Nebraska would play Arkansas again shortly after the first game.

The game can be steamed on ESPN3 on the ESPN website and on their app. It can also be heard on Husker Sports Network.