Rally in Ninth Sinks Huskers

Nebraska allowed five runs in the ninth inning, as the Huskers suffered a 9-7 setback vs. Minnesota on Friday night at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park.

Nebraska (22-16-1, 7-6 Big Ten) tallied seven runs on 10 hits and two errors, while Minnesota (12-28, 5-8) had nine runs on 14 hits and an error.

Emmett Olson went six innings in the start, allowing four runs, three earned, on eight hits. The junior struck out six Gophers and walked four. Shay Schanaman dropped to 2-4 on the season after surrendering four runs, all unearned, on five hits in 2.1 innings. Jake Bunz recorded the final two outs for the Big Red.

Gabe Swansen led NU at the plate, going 2-for-5 with a double, home run and four RBI. Brice Matthews was 2-for-4 with a pair of walks and two runs, while Cole Evans was 2-for-4 with two runs. Ben Columbus went 1-for-2 with a pair of RBI, and Casey Burnham went 1-for-2 with an RBI, a run and three walks.

The Golden Gophers sprinted out to a 2-0 lead with four hits in the opening frame. An infield single and a double, followed by a sacrifice bunt plated Minnesota’s first run of the night. The Gophers added their second run with a first-pitch RBI double to the gap in right-center.

Matthews led off the night for the NU offense with a single through the left side, before Swansen’s first-pitch, two-out RBI single through the left side scored Matthews to make it 2-1 after one inning.

Minnesota got the run back in the second with a one-out solo homer by Kyle Bork. The Gophers extended the lead to three after a two-base throwing error on an errant pickoff attempt at second.

Matthews reached on a single up the middle to begin the third, while Burnham drew a walk on 3-1 count to put runners on first and second with no outs for the Huskers. Swansen lifted this 11th home run of the season over the wall in right for a three-run shot to tie the game at four.

The Gophers loaded the bases with one out in the fourth after a single and two walks, before Olson induced a 5-4-3 double play to keep the game tied at four.

Evans and Griffin Everitt each singled in the sixth, setting up Burnham’s RBI single up the middle that scored Evans to give the Huskers a 5-4 lead through six.

A leadoff single in the eighth placed the tying run at first with no outs for the Gophers. A sacrifice bunt attempt by Riley Swenson resulted in a double play after Schanaman made a diving grab off the mound and fired over to first to double off the runner, maintain the one-run lead for the Big Red.

Evans singled to center, while walks to Matthews and Burnham loaded the bases for NU in the bottom of the eighth with two outs, but the Huskers failed to tack on insurance runs after Max Anderson grounded into a fielder’s choice.

Back-to-back singles and an error allowed the Gophers to tie the game at five with one out in the ninth. A bases-loaded walk gave Minnesota a one-run lead, before Kris Hokenson lifted a bases-clearing double to center, stretching the lead to 9-5.

Nebraska threatened in the bottom of the ninth and brought the go-ahead run to the plate. A single from Josh Caron and walks to Evans and Luke Sartori loaded the bases with two outs. Columbus came through with a two-RBI single through the right side, scoring Caron and Evans and advancing Sartori to third. Matthews stepped up to the plate with runners on first and third, but the Gophers retired Matthews on three pitches to clinch the 9-7 series-opening win.

The Huskers and Gophers continue the series tomorrow at 2:05 p.m. at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park.