Huskers Shock Sun Devils to Take Game Three, End Losing Streak

Nebraska baseball has had a tough time since scoring 19 games and winning the season-opener at Baylor.

The Huskers (2-7, 0-0 Big Ten) have scored first in every game except one. They’ve also allowed plenty of crooked numbers after having those leads. Nebraska lost the first two games of the series by a combined score of 27-6.

The frustrations were taken out on the baseball Sunday with a road win at No. 12 Arizona State.

ASU struck first in the bottom of the first with a solo home run. The Sun Devils then added four more in the second inning to give the game the impression of another rout.

The Huskers thought differently.

In the top of the third inning, Nebraska used a walk and a hit-by-pitch with bases loaded to add two runs before freshman Leighton Banjoff hit a grand slam to give the Huskers a 6-5 lead.

Nebraska added two more runs in the fourth inning on a Spencer Schwellenbach single and an Aaron Palensky sacrifice fly.

In the bottom of the fourth, Arizona State tied the game with a three-run home run. But Nebraska had just heated up.

Banjoff got his second home run of the game, going yard as the leadoff hitter. After the next two batters went down, Joe Acker hit a solo home run. Jaxon Hallmark then hit a single before scoring on a Cam Chick home run. Three more runs were added as Nebraska had eight hits in the inning.

With a 15-8 lead after five innings, both teams added a couple more run, including a fifth home run for Nebraska in the game, this one by Jaxon Hallmark. The Huskers ended the seven game losing streak with an 18-10 victory in Phoenix.

Banjoff and Schwellenbach both had 4-for-6 days, with Banjoff tallying six RBIs.

Sophomore left-hander Cade Povich made his third start of the season, going 5.0 innings while recording seven strikeouts and zero walks.

Nebraska is next in action at their home opener against Columbia (0-4, 0-0 Ivy) March 6.