Huskers Win 10th Straight with 10-3 Win over Seton Hall

Lincoln ? No. 21 Nebraska used a seventh-run fourth inning to overcome an early 2-1 deficit, completing a three-game sweep of Seton Hall with a 10-3 victory Sunday afternoon at Hawks Field.

Joe Simokaitis (St. Louis, Mo.) went 1-for-2 with a career-high three stolen bases and scored twice, while Curtis Ledbetter (Lawrence, Kan.) and Alex Gordon (Lincoln, Neb.) had two hits apiece for Nebraska (18-2), which won its 10th straight game.

Trailing 2-1, the Huskers sent 10 men to the plate and scored seven times on six hits in the fourth, taking advantage of a pair of Seton Hall errors.

With one out and runners on the corners, Jeff Christy (Lincoln, Neb.) tied the game with an RBI single before freshman Ryan Wehrle’s (Papillion, Neb.) gave the Huskers the lead for good with a run-scoring single to right.

The Huskers, whose 18-2 start after 20 games is the best start in 21 years, continued to apply pressure on Pirates’ defense. Daniel Bruce (Omaha, Neb.) plated another run on a safety squeeze before Simokaitis’ infield single and two subsequent errors on the play allowed two more runners to cross the plate. After a walk to Gordon, Simokaitis stole third and scored on a wild pitch before Brandon Fusilier’s (Coppell, Texas) RBI single gave NU an 8-2 lead.

"I am very pleased with our offense today," Nebraska Head Coach Mike Anderson said after NU’s 11-hit attack. "We put pressure on them in a number of different ways, and I really think that good teams are those that can put runs on the board in a variety of ways like we did today."

Right-hander Phil Shriek (Minot, N.D.) was the beneficiary of Nebraska’s outburst, allowing two runs on four hits over the first five innings to earn the win. Shirek, who improved to 3-0 on the season, struck out three without issuing a walk.

"He struggled a little bit and wasn't typical Phil, but still pitched well enough to get himself a win," Anderson said.

Nebraska took advantage of a Seton Hall error in the first, as Simokaitis reached on a two-base error before a walk to Gordon put runners on first and second. Fusilier grounded into a fielder’s choice to put runners on the corners with two outs. With a 1-0 count, Simokaitis then took advantage of an excellent jump, beating the throw of Seton Hall pitcher Mark Irwin to the plate, giving the Huskers a 1-0 lead. The swipe was the first steal of home by a Husker in over three years, since Daniel Bruce stole home against Texas A&M in March of 2002.

Seton Hall responded in the top of the third, as Tim Smith was hit by a Shirek offering, stole second and scored on Anthony Seratelli’s RBI double to left. After Mike Morano’s single put runners on first and third, Tim Pahuta plated the Pirates’ second run by hitting into a double play that allowed Seratelli to score.

The lead would be short lived, as the Huskers chased Irwin in the fourth, sending 10 men to the plate in taking a six-run lead. Irwin (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing eight runs on six hits.

The Huskers extended their lead to 10-2, scoring an unearned run in the sixth before Gordon tacked on an RBI double in the eighth.

Seton Hall scored its final run in the ninth on Anthony Perrone’s RBI double to right center of NU reliever Brett Jensen. Perrone and Pahuta had two hits apiece for Seton Hall, which dropped to 3-10 on the season.

The Huskers conclude the 12-game homestand this week, hosting Western Illinois on Tuesday (4:05 p.m.) and Wednesday (2:05 p.m.).