Huskers Struggle in 17-8 loss to Lamar

Ruston, La. -- The Nebraska baseball team struggled all afternoon in a 17-8 loss to Lamar at the Bone & Joint Classic at J.C. Love Field in Ruston, La.

Nebraska trailed 3-1 before Lamar scored seven unanswered runs in the third and fourth innings to take a 10-1 lead. The Huskers chipped away at the Cardinal lead scoring four times in the seventh, but Lamar answered in the top of the eighth with three runs and scored four more in the ninth inning to put Nebraska away.

The loss dropped the Huskers to 3-3 and improved Lamar to 6-1 on the year. The two teams play on Sunday at 11 a.m. in the final game of the Bone & Joint Classic. Freshman right hander Shane Komine will be looking for his first win at Nebraska in Sunday's game.

The thorn in Nebraska's side all afternoon was Cadinal left fielder Clint Bell. Bell was 5-for-6 with two home runs, a double, two singles and he reached on an error. He had three RBI and scored three runs in the win.

For the Huskers, first baseman Ken Harvey, designated hitter Justin Cowan and catcher Brian Johnson each had three hits in a losing effort. Left fielder Jeff Hedman and Johnson added home runs to help the Husker cause.

Leading 3-1 in the third, the Cardinals scored four more runs off Nebraska starter Jay Sirianni (0-1). Sirianni left the game after facing 18 batters in 2.2 innings and allowing eight runs on seven hits. Freshman right-hander R.D. Spiehs replaced Sirianni with two outs and one on, but Bell hit his second home run in as many innings to give the Cardinals a 9-1 edge.

Now down 10-1, Nebraska mounted a bit of a comeback in the seventh inning. Johnson hit his first home run of the season and it seemed to wake the Huskers up. With two outs and two on, Hedman ripped his third home run of the year cutting the Lamar lead to 10-5.

But in the eighth, the Cardinals finally got to Spiehs. Spiehs had allowed only two runs in 4.1 innings before giving up three in the eighth. For the game, Spiehs struck out eight, the most by any Husker hurler this season, in 5.1 innings and only walked two.

In the ninth, Lamar scored four insurance runs to jump in front 17-5. Nebraska scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to lose 17-8.