Huskers Sweep North Dakota State

Lincoln ? Andy Gerch went 5-for-7 on the day, while Nebraska pitchers held North Dakota State to one run in 15 innings of work, sweeping a doubleheader against the Bison, 12-1 and 10-0, Wednesday at Hawks Field.

The Huskers, who improved to 29-6 on the season, got big performances from several freshmen throughout the doubleheader sweep. Gerch went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored to pace NU’s 10-hit attack in game one. Bryce Nimmo and Ryan Wehrle drove in two runs apiece, while Jake Opitz also had an RBI, as freshmen accounted for seven of the Huskers’ 11 RBIs in the opener.

The offensive performance was more than enough for freshman Tony Watson, who improved to 4-1 on the season by tossing three shutout innings in a predetermined three-inning stint. Watson fanned three and pitched his way in and out of trouble throughout his outing. Freshman Luke Wertz and sophomore Mike Harmelink completed the seven-hitter, as the trio combined for eight strikeouts and issued one walk.

Nebraska took a 1-0 lead in the first on a two-out RBI single by Brandon Fusilier. Alex Gordon was hit by a pitch and stole second before Fusilier, who had three hits and scored twice, plated NU’s first run with a single up the middle.

The Huskers eventually broke open the one-run lead, scoring five runs in the fourth off NDSU starter Terry Tchida. Back-to-back RBI singles by Jeff Christy and Opitz and a safety squeeze by Nimmo did most of the damage, as the Huskers strung together four hits and capitalized on a Bison miscue. Tchida (0-4) suffered the loss, allowing six runs on five hits in 3.2 innings of work

Nebraska continued to extend the margin in the fifth, scoring six times, including a two-run single by Gerch, an RBI double by Werhle and a two-out, two-run double by Gordon that made it 12-0.

Tyrus Powe’s pinch-hit, seventh-inning sacrifice fly scored Greg Plecki and accounted for the Bison’s only tally of the day.

In the nightcap, Husker pitching shined, as Ryan Bohanan (1-0) and two relievers combined on a four-hit shutout ? the third whitewash by the Nebraska staff this season. Bohanan, who was on a limited pitch count, fanned two in three shutout innings for his first career win, while freshman Matt Foust pitched the final three innings for his first career save.

Once again, Nebraska’s freshman did most of the damage, as Gerch went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Wehrle and Mark Hightower drove in two runs apiece. The bottom three spots in the Husker lineup combined to go 7-for-11 with four RBIs and five runs scored. Both Wehrle and Hightower established career highs in RBIs, while the 2-for-4 effort was Wehrle’s first multi-hit game of the season.

Nebraska took the suspense out of the game early, scoring five runs in the second, including RBI singles by Wehrle, Hightower and Alex Gordon, who went 2-for-3 in the nightcap. The Huskers increased the lead to 6-0 one inning later, putting runners on the corners before a balk on NDSU starter Tom Branca plated a run, as Brance (0-1) allowed eight runs on 12 hits to take the loss.

The Huskers, who are 19-2 at Hawks Field, pushed the lead to 8-0 in the fifth, on consecutive doubles by Gerch and Wehrle and a run-scoring single to left by Hightower. NU then wrapped up the contest in the eighth with a pair of runs, highlighted by Brandon Buckman’s RBI single.

Nebraska returns to action this weekend with a three-game series at Texas A&M. Friday’s first pitch is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be carried on the Pinnacle Sports Network.