Late Rally Falls Short at Omaha

Nebraska scored four runs in the eighth and loaded the bases in the ninth but couldn’t plate the tying run in a 6-5 loss at Omaha on Wednesday night at Tal Anderson Field.

Nebraska (12-15, 4-2 Big Ten) scored five runs on nine hits and had one error, while the Mavericks (12-14, 4-2 Summit League) totaled six runs on eight hits and three errors.

Drew Christo fell to 0-1 on the year after allowing three runs on four hits in two innings. Jackson Brockett allowed one run on one hit and struck out two in 2.1 innings of relief. CJ Hood threw 0.2 innings in relief, while Tyler Martin, Mason Ornelas and Emmett Olson pitched one inning apiece.

Max Anderson went 2-for-3 at the plate with a pair of doubles and two walks. Josh Caron was 2-for-4 with a walk and Colby Gomes was 1-for-2 with a three-run homer in the eighth.

The Huskers threatened in the first after a two-out double by Anderson and a walk to Griffin Everitt, before Garrett Anglim laced a single to left field where Anderson was thrown out in a play at the plate.

Omaha jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first after an RBI single by Mike Boeve and a two-RBI double from Eddie Satisky.

The Huskers put the first two runners on in the third after Cam Chick reached on a fielding error and Anderson was walked. Everitt followed by reaching on a fielder’s choice that allowed Chick to score from second. Anderson looked to be safe on the play after the Omaha shortstop hopped over second base and dropped the ball but was called out on the play.

The Mavericks added a run to the lead in the fifth after Noah Greise lifted a sacrifice fly to left with the bases loaded. RBI doubles by Hurdle in the sixth and Jack Lombardi in the seventh stretched the Maverick lead to 6-1.

Nebraska stormed back with four runs on three hits and a Maverick error to get within 6-5 in the top of the eighth. Anderson led off the inning with double and scored on the throwing error after Caron reached on an infield single to the shortstop. Luke Sartori drew a walk to put two runners on, before Gomes unleashed a three-run shot to left to make it a one-run game.

After Olson sat down the Mavericks in order in the bottom of the eighth, the Huskers looked to rally in the top of the ninth to plate the tying run. Anderson led off with a walk and Everitt singled to right to put runners on first and second with no outs. A groundout to the pitcher by Anglim advanced the tying run to third and go-ahead run to second with one out. Caron drew a full-count walk to load the bases, before the next two batters were retired on strikeouts with a full count to end the game.

Nebraska returns to conference action this weekend, hosting Rutgers for a three-game series at Hawks Field on Friday-Sunday, April 8-10. Friday and Sunday’s games will be broadcast on B1G+, while Saturday’s game is set for a 3:17 p.m. first pitch on BTN.