10-Run Fifth Dooms Huskers in 15-8 Loss to Georgia Tech

Houston, Texas - Bryan Prince went 2 for 4 with four RBI, including three in a 10-run fifth inning, as top-ranked Georgia Tech defeated fourth-ranked Nebraska, 15-8, at the Crowne Plaza/Rice Invitational Sunday afternoon.

Prince, who also added a solo homer in the eighth, keyed a 16-hit Georgia Tech attack that saw seven players finish with two hits apiece, including third baseman Mark Teixeria, who went 2 for 3 with a three-run homer and three runs scored.

Brian Sager (1-0) picked up the win, allowing three runs on five hits, as Georgia Tech bounced back from a 5-4 loss to Rice on Saturday to improve to 2-1 on the season.

All-America pitcher Shane Komine (0-1) took the loss for the Huskers, allowing five runs on eight hits in just over four innings of work. The junior from Honolulu, Hawaii, struck out eight and walked two in his first start of the season, which was pushed back two days because of a sore back.

In the fourth inning, the Huskers jumped to a 3-0 lead off Sager in the bottom of the fourth. Matt Hopper (Morrison, Colo.) and Dan Johnson (Coon Rapids, Minn.) started the frame off with consecutive singles before John Cole's (Ottawa, Canada) sacrifice put runners to second and third. Third baseman Jeff Blevins (Sand Springs, Okla.) put the Huskers on the board, lofting a single into left center, scoring both Johnson and Hopper. After a walk to Tito Rivera (Schedectady, N.Y.), the Huskers received a gift as Josh Hesse's (Omaha, Neb.) grounder went through the legs of Yellow Jacket second baseman Richard Lewis, scoring Blevins for the third run of the inning. The Huskers continued to threaten, loading the bases before Adam Stern (London, Ontario) grounded to second to end the inning.

Hopper paced the Husker offense with three hits, while Johnson, who went 2 for 4, and Blevins drove in two runs apiece for Nebraska, which fell to 1-2 on the season. Blevins now has seven RBI in the last two games.

The lead was short lived, however, as the Yellow Jackets pounded out 10 runs on seven hits off four different Husker pitchers in the top of the fifth. The 10 runs marked the most NU had given up in an inning since allowing 10 to Oklahoma State on April 3, 1995. In all, the first nine batters reached base, as the Yellow Jackets sent 15 men to the play.

Prince delivered the key hit, a two-run bases loaded RBI single off Komine to close the lead to 3-2, Jason Basil then tied the score at three with an RBI single, ending Komine's outing. Thom Ott came in for Komine and allowed RBI singles to Victor Menocal and Jason Perry, extending the Yellow Jackets lead to 5-3. Georgia Tech continued the onslaught on relievers Waylon Byers and Derrick Conte, including a pair of bases loaded walks. When the damage was done, the Huskers trailed 10-3 after four and a half innings.

Georgia Tech put the game out of reach in the sixth with four runs, highlighted by a three-run shot by Teixeria, and a solo homer by Prince in the eighth.

The Huskers mounted a late inning comeback, scoring three in the seventh on RBI from Johnson, junior outfielder Justin Seely (Nacogdoches, Texas) and Brandon Eymann (Papillion, Neb.), and a pair in the eighth on RBI singles from Hopper and Johnson.

The Huskers return to action this Friday, as they travel to Albuquerque, N.M. for the Applebee's Baseball Fiesta. The Huskers open up the three-day tournament against New Mexico on Friday, Feb. 16, at 1 p.m.

Dave Van Horn
On Georgia Tech
"They are an outstanding team. They won 50 games last year and they have a lineup full of juniors and seniors and returned two conference starters from last season and had a conference starter transfer in. You not going to find a team that is more solid from top to bottom as we saw today."

On today
"I thought we played well in spurts today. We had four good innings and then had a bad one. We were up 3-0 in the fifth with Shane on the hill, but some calls early in the inning didn't go our way."

On the weekend
"We found a lot about our team this weekend. I was pleased with the way our position players played. Last season, we went 1-2 at this tournament and did OK. We were not yet ready to beat teams the caliber of Rice and Georgia Tech this early in the season, but we will be there soon."

Shane Komine
On the weekend
"Playing tournaments like this will only help us down the road. It gets us in the proper mindset to prepare for conference play."

On Georgia Tech
"They have an excellent team and came ready to play today. They have an great lineup, and that's why they are the No. 1 team in the nation."