Huskers Hold Off Panthers in 9-7 Win

Lincoln -- The 10th-ranked Nebraska baseball team, playing their fourth game in four days, held off a late rally from Northern Iowa, as the Huskers Thom Ott picked up his second save in as many days in a 9-7 victory.

Nebraska (39-11) fresh off taking two games from No. 6 Texas, escaped after Northern Iowa (21-33) scored three runs and sent nine batters to the plate in the ninth. Husker reliever Andy Bent started the ninth inning but surrendered three hits, getting just one out. Brandon Penas then came in with the bases loaded and walked Aaron McEachran as UNI cut the lead to 9-5.

Head Coach Dave Van Horn then brought in Ott who gave up two RBI singles before getting the final two outs of the game as UNI left the bases loaded.

Nebraska got a solid pitching effort for Scott Fries, who improved to 4-0 with the victory, after throwing five innings and allowing just one hit. Fries gave up one run, a two-out, one-run single from Scott Miller, which tied the game at 4-4.

The Panthers jumped out to a 2-0 lead on the Huskers getting three straight hits in the first off starter Chad Wiles. Wiles also surrendered a leadoff home run to Greg Torgerson in the second, before settling down to hold the Panthers scoreless the next two innings. Nebraska used a two-out rally in the fourth to take a 4-3 lead. Freshman catcher Aaron Gozart drew a two-out walk and stole one of his three bases on the night. He then scored on an single to center field by senior Jamal Strong, who also stole three bases. After Strong stole second, Adam Stern extended the rally with a double to left field, giving Nebraska a 4-3 lead.

After Northern Iowa tied the game in the fifth, the Huskers used a first-pitch leadoff home run in the seventh from Matt Hopper, his 18th of the season, to retake the lead, 5-4. Dan Johnson then hit a double to right centerfield that appeared to get lost in the lights and scored two batters later when Brandt Vlieger hit into a double play with no outs.

Nebraska took advantage of four UNI pitchers in the eighth inning, getting a leadoff triple from Adam Shabala and a one-run single from Gozart off Nic Ungs, who was pulled after giving up a one-out walk to Stern. Reliever Mike Egger fared little better, walking Hopper before walking Johnson with the bases loaded to score Gozart. Shawn Gardner finally managed to get the final two outs, but not before John Cole grounded out second, allowing Stern to score from third.

NOTES:

*Nebraska played Tuesday's game after arriving in Lincoln at 4:30 a.m. from Austin.

*Senior Justin Cowan underwent knee surgery Tuesday doctors discovered a partially torn lateral meniscus in his left knee. Doctors estimate that Cowan should be ready to return to action in 7-10 days.

*Jamal Strong's three stolen bases improved his career total to 65, two shy of fourth place on the Nebraska all-time career stolen base chart.