NU Offense Completes Sweep Over Jayhawks

Lincoln -- Nebraska's pitching staff carried the Huskers through the first half of the season, but it was the Husker offense that came up big on Sunday, as NU pounded out 22 hits in an 18-11 victory over Kansas at Buck Beltzer Stadium. The win gave Nebraska its first conference series sweep of the year and improved the Huskers to 22-11 overall and 10-8 in the Big 12 Conference.

"This was a huge weekend," Head Coach Dave Van Horn said. "We were coming off a disappointing weekend and we played hard all weekend. Our pitching has really carried us all season long, so it was nice to see our bats win a big game for us.

"The thing that I was most proud of, was that every time Kansas scored and tied the game, we battled back to kill their momentum."

Kansas led 7-6 after a two-run fifth inning, but Nebraska scored a pair of unearned runs on RBI singles from Will Bolt and Adam Stern to retake the lead 8-7 in the bottom of the same inning.

Nebraska got some breathing room in the seventh, scoring five runs on two doubles, two singles and two walks. A pinch-hit double from junior Dan Johnson gave Nebraska runners on second and third before Josh Hesse hit one of his four singles to drive in Bolt who had walked. After a Stern walk loaded the bases, Jamal Strong hit one of the team's seven doubles to clear the bases and secure a 13-7 lead.

But Kansas made it close by pulling within two runs at 13-11 after a huge eighth inning. KU's Matt Oakes led off the inning with a double down the left field line. Three batters later it looked as if the Huskers would escape the inning without allowing a run, but John Nelson hit a fly ball that dropped when Strong lost the ball in the sun, allowing Oakes to score and giving Nelson a stand-up double. Kansas scored three more runs as Steve Hale gave up two more hits and hit Ryan Klocksien. Brandon Penas finally closed out the inning after giving up an RBI single.

Nebraska locked up the win with five runs in the eighth, pounding Ryan Schmidt for five consecutive hits, including a pair of doubles from Stern and Brandt Vlieger.

The Jayhawks also led early, jumping out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning. Husker starter Jamie Rodrigue suffered through his shortest outing of the season after giving up four hits, three earned runs and recording just one out in the first inning.

But Nebraska came right back to tie the game in the bottom of the first, as NU batted through the lineup, recording six hits, including a two RBI double from Matt Hopper and a two RBI single from Hesse.

Hesse, who earned the start at second base, went 4-for-5 and drove in five RBI in his third career start. Vlieger, Justin Cowan and John Cole each had three hits for Nebraska as the Huskers finished with 22 total hits, the most since recording 25 against Kansas State last season. NU's seven doubles was one shy of tying a school record.

R.D. Spiehs (2-1) earned the win for Nebraska, throwing 4.2 innings and allowing just two earned runs. Pete Smart fell to 6-6 after giving up six earned runs and 11 hits through 4.1 innings. Nine different Huskers scored in the game, paced by Bolt's four runs. Hopper finished the series with a .636 batting average against the Jayhawks, while NU hit .469 as a team in the series.

Nebraska will host Creighton on Tuesday at Buck Beltzer Stadium at 6:30 p.m.