Nebraska baseball started its home campaign against Northern Colorado on Tuesday and Wednesday. Neither game reached the ninth inning, as the Huskers defeated the Bears on the 10-run rule in both contests.
Game 1: Nebraska 12, Northern Colorado 1 (7 inn.)
Northern Colorado hit a double on the first pitch off of the game on sophomore pitcher Jackson Brockett. However, three straight outs ended their inning scoreless. Husker junior shortstop Brice Matthews started the bottom frame with a leadoff double of his own. After a wild pitch advanced Matthews to third, junior second baseman Max Anderson added to his 10-game hit streak with an RBI single for the game’s first run. Nebraska wasn’t done yet with a single by sophomore designated hitter Josh Caron. Senior right fielder Charlie Fischer brought Anderson home with an RBI double and junior catcher Ben Columbus cleared the bases with a two-RBI double. The first inning ended with the Huskers leading 4-0.
Brockett went three up, three down in the top of the second including consecutive strikeouts to end it. The Bears made a change at pitcher in the bottom of the second but it did not help as freshman third baseman Dylan Carey tripled right after. Anderson registered his second RBI of the game with a double to make it 5-0 Huskers after two.
Northern Colorado could not respond in the third inning despite a one-out single. The bottom of the third saw a third different pitcher in for the Bears which proved unsuccessful yet again as sophomore left fielder Gabe Swanson hit a leadoff home run to deep left center. Fifth-year second baseman Casey Burnham and Matthews both reached base, with Burnham tacking on another run as he stole home. Nebraska led 7-0 through three.
Brockett continued his hot start, going three up, three down in the fourth while earning his fifth strikeout of the day. The fourth time was not the charm for Northern Colorado as another pitcher came in for the Bears in the fourth inning. After the first two Husker batters reached base, Fischer hit his third home run of the season. The three-run shot gave Nebraska a 10-0 lead. Redshirt sophomore first baseman Will Walsh added to the fun, hitting a two-run home run to center. The Bears went back to their bullpen for the fifth time in four innings. Northern Colorado managed to escape the inning with the bases loaded but Nebraska was still up 12-0.
Brockett’s day came to an end and freshman pitcher Austin Berggren took over in the top of the fifth inning. The Bears finally scored with a two-out RBI single but could not add anything else. Nebraska was held scoreless for the first time on the day and led 12-1 after five.
Berggren had an impressive sixth inning, striking out the side. The Huskers could not add to their lead in the bottom of the frame keeping their lead at 11. Nebraska was able to end the game early thanks to the 10-run rule. Junior pitcher Brett Sears closed out the game, striking out two out of the last three batters as Nebraska won its first home contest of the year 12-1.
Nebraska finished with 12 runs on 13 hits and zero errors. Northern Colorado finished with one run on five hits and one error.
Game 2: Nebraska 14, Northern Colorado 3 (7 inn.)
Sophomore pitcher Drew Christo got his first start of the season for Nebraska after appearing in two games as a relief pitcher. Christo struggled after striking out the first batter he saw, loading the bases with two outs. However, a flyout ended the inning, keeping the Bears scoreless. Nebraska went three up, three down in the bottom of the frame, and the game remained tied.
Northern Colorado got two men on base with consecutive singles in the second. The Bears scored the game's first run on a wild pitch by Christo that got away from Columbus. They added another run to their lead with a sacrifice fly. Christo’s short outing was over and freshman pitcher Caleb Clark took over on the mound. A ground out ended the inning with the Huskers trailing 2-0.
Fischer recorded Nebraska’s first hit with a leadoff single in the bottom of the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Swanson tied the game up with a two-run bomb to deep center field. Swanson’s second home run in as many days marked Nebraska’s eleventh straight game with a home run, tying their 2004 record. The Huskers were not done yet as junior right fielder Cole Evans hit his first home run of the season, a two-run shot to left center. The inning ended with Nebraska ahead 4-2.
Clark went three up, three down in the third inning however so did Nebraska. He continued his strong showing in the fourth, striking out the side. The Huskers extended their lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the fourth as Evans hit his second home run of the contest.
Senior pitcher Mason Ornelas took over in the fifth and went three up, three down. Anderson recorded a leadoff double in the bottom of the inning and Fischer drove him home with a double of his own. Nebraska added a couple more runs on with Swanson and fifth-year designated hitter Griffin Everitt bringing runners home. Nebraska led 8-2 through five.
After another three up, three down inning by Ornelas, Nebraska poured it on in the bottom of the sixth. Senior center fielder Luke Sartori started the inning with a leadoff single. Matthews followed with a two-run home run on the next pitch. Carey reached base on a fielding error and Fischer sent him home with an RBI single. After Columbus was walked, Everitt hit his first home run of the season, a three-run shot down the right-field line. The Huskers scored six in the inning to expand their lead to 14-2.
Nebraska had a chance to end the game in seven innings once again and did that despite a Northern Colorado home run with two outs. Nebraska looked just as dominant as they did on Tuesday winning 14-3.
Nebraska finished with 14 runs on 13 hits and zero errors. Northern Colorado finished with three runs on five hits and two errors.
Nebraska, now 7-4-1, looks to carry its momentum against Illinois State in a three-game home series this weekend.