Huskers Falter Against Mavericks on Tuesday

Nebraska dropped a midweek matchup vs. Omaha on Tuesday, falling 10-6 at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park.

Nebraska (9-5-1) scored six runs on nine hits and three errors, while the Mavericks (6-8) had 10 runs on 10 hits and committed one error.

Michael Garza made his first start with the Huskers, allowing three hits and striking out five in three scoreless innings. Caleb Clark, Mason Ornelas and Corbin Hawkins combined to throw the next two innings. Shay Schanaman dropped to 1-2 on the season after allowing three runs, two earned, on a pair of hits in two innings. Schanaman recorded four strikeouts to move into a tie for ninth all-time in program history with 200 strikeouts. Kyle Perry and Drew Christo teamed up to pitch the final two innings.

Efry Cervantes led NU at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. Brice Matthews went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Griffin Everitt touched home twice, while four Huskers had one hit apiece.

Nebraska struck first in the bottom of the third, scoring two runs on three hits. Everitt drew a leadoff walk and Cervantes ripped a single up the middle to put runners on first and third with one out.

Back-to-back RBI singles from Cole Evans and Max Anderson had the Big Red out front 2-0 after three.

Two singles and a walk loaded the bases for UNO to begin the fourth, before three straight walks with the bases loaded gave the Mavericks a 3-2 advantage. An RBI fielder’s choice with one out doubled the Omaha lead to 4-2.

The Mavericks began the fifth with a hit batter, followed by an errant throw by NU on an attempt at a sacrifice bunt to place runners on second and third with no outs. A one-out single RBI single to right-center made it a 5-2 game heading into the bottom of the fifth.

The Huskers responded immediately, scoring four runs on four hits to take a 6-5 lead after five innings. Everitt drew a walk, and Cervantes reached on a single through the right side, setting up Matthews’ RBI single down the left-field line to plate Everitt. An RBI fielder’s choice by Fischer allowed Cervantes to score, while Josh Caron’s RBI single and Gabe Swansen’s RBI double gave the Huskers a one-run lead.

Two walks set up Cam Frederick’s two-RBI double down the left-field line that gave the Mavericks a 7-6 lead in the sixth.

Omaha doubled its lead to 8-6 in the seventh, capitalizing on an NU error with two outs in the inning. The Mavericks tacked on two more in the eighth with a two-run homer to left by Eduardo Rosario.

The NU offense looked to cut into the deficit in the bottom of the eighth, loading the bases with no outs. Everitt and Matthews drew walks, and Cervantes reached on a single, but the Huskers struck out in their next three at-bats to keep the Maverick lead at 10-6.

Nebraska heads to Manhattan, Kan., for this weekend’s series against Nicholls. The series opener between the Huskers and Colonels is set for 11 a.m. on Thursday at Tointon Family Stadium.