Swansen Powers Huskers to 12-3 Win vs. Hawaii

Gabe Swansen clubbed a pair of doubles and had a two-run homer to lead Nebraska to its fifth consecutive win, as the Huskers won 12-3 over Hawaii at the Cambria College Classic on Saturday in Minneapolis.

Nebraska (5-3-1) totaled 12 runs on a season-high 18 hits, while Hawaii (5-4) had three runs on 11 hits and one error.

Jace Kaminska improved to 2-0 with his first quality start of the season. Kaminska struck out three batters and allowed four hits in six scoreless innings. Brett Sears and Jake Bunz combined to pitch the next two innings, while Drew Christo tossed a scoreless ninth inning.

Dylan Carey went 4-for-6 at the plate with two RBI and a pair of runs scored. Max Anderson had his seventh consecutive multi-hit game with a 3-for-5 performance, recording a double, triple and three RBI. Swansen was 3-for-5 with two doubles, a home run, four RBI and two runs. Garrett Anglim went 3-for-4 with three runs and a pair of walks. Griffin Everitt and Brice Matthews each had two-hit games, while Josh Caron also had a hit.

Hawaii threatened in the bottom of the first with a one-out double down the right-field line, but Kaminska eluded the jam by retiring the next two Rainbow Warriors he faced to keep it scoreless after one.

The Huskers broke the scoreless tie with two runs on three hits in the fourth. Everitt reached on a two-out single, while Anglim hit a two-run home run to center, but a pitch clock violation brought Anglim back to the plate with a 3-1 count. Anglim drew a walk on the next pitch, before Swansen drilled a two-RBI double down the right-field line to plate Everitt and Anglim.

A two-out single by Carey set up Anderson’s RBI triple to the gap in right-center, stretching NU’s lead to 3-0 in the fifth.

The Husker offense blew the game open with a five-run sixth to grab an 8-0 lead. Matthews lined a two-RBI single to center, followed by an RBI single from Casey Burnham had the Huskers out front, 6-0. Matthews later scored on an errant pick off throw at first, while an RBI single by Anderson brought home Carey.

Nebraska stretched its lead to 10-0 in the seventh with a pair of runs on two hits. Burnham drew a walk and advanced to third on a single by Matthews, before jogging home on a RBI groundout by Carey. Anderson lifted an RBI double to right-center, plating Matthews and giving the Big Red a 10-run advantage.

Hawaii got the two runs back immediately in the bottom of the seventh. A solo homer by Kyson Donahue plated the Rainbow Warriors’ first run, while an RBI doubly from Jordan Donahue made it a 10-2 game after seven innings.

Anglim reached on an infield single, and Swansen drilled a two-run homer to left to expand the lead to 12-2 in the top of the eighth.

The Rainbow Warriors got one of the runs back on a solo home run by Matt Wong in the bottom half of the inning.

Christo toed the rubber in the bottom of the ninth, allowing only a hit to secure Nebraska’s 12-3 win on Saturday.

Nebraska concludes action at the Cambria College Classic tomorrow against No. 4 Ole Miss. First pitch between the Huskers and Rebels is set for 1:30 p.m. at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.