Husker Comeback Falls Short at Texas Tech

Lubbock, Texas ? Nebraska used an eighth-inning rally to overcome a four-run deficit, but Chris Williams’ sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth broke a 6-all tie, as Texas Tech salvaged the finale of the three-game series with a 7-6 victory over the third-ranked Huskers at Dan Law Field Sunday afternoon.

Trailing 6-2, Nebraska scored four runs, tying the score on Curtis Ledbetter’s two-run single off reliever Billy Carnline, but could complete the comeback, as the Red Raiders scored the winning run off Brett Jensen in the bottom of the eighth. The Huskers (41-12, 16-8 Big 12) had an opportunity to tie the game in the ninth, as, Trey Adams opened the ninth with a double to left center. Bryce Nimmo then hit a ball into the gap in left center which Williams made a spectacular diving catch and then doubled up Adams at second for a crucial double play. NU continued to rally, as Jake Opitz singled, but pinch hitter Ryan Wehrle grounded to third to end the Huskers’ comeback hopes.

"I thought we showed a lot of heart as a team in coming back," Nebraska Head Coach Mike Anderson said. "It is always tough to sweep a series on the road, and it just didn’t go our way today."

Carnline picked up the win, pitching the final 1.1 innings for his seventh win, while Jensen (2-3) suffered the loss, as he allowed Texas Tech’s go-ahead run.

Ledbetter led Nebraska’s offensive output, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs, while Trey Adams and Jesse Boyer each had two hits in a losing effort. Cameron Blair and Trey Stewart supplied most of Texas Tech’s offense, combining for five of the Red Raiders’ nine hits. Blair went 3-for-3 with a homer and three runs scored while Stewart had two hits and drove in two runs for Tech, which improved to 31-20 and 9-13 in the Big 12.

Nebraska, which has had eight of its 12 losses by one run, took advantage of a trio of errors on Blair, scoring a pair of unearned runs without a hit in the top of the second. Consecutive one-out walks to Brandon Fusilier and Daniel Bruce gave the Huskers runners at first and second before Andy Gerch’s hard-hit grounder skipped by Blair, allowing Fusilier to score from second. Opitz then hit a grounder to short that Blair threw wide of first, allowing the second Husker runner to cross the plate.

Texas Tech took the lead in the bottom of the third, scoring three times, including a pair of unearned runs off Husker starter Zach Kroenke. After Cody Fuller opened the inning with a double, Cooper Fouts’ sacrifice bunt was thrown into the dirt by Alex Gordon, giving the Red Raiders runners on the corners. After loading the bases, Carey Avants’ sacrifice fly put the Red Raiders on the scoreboard before Stewart tied the game with an RBI single to right. Brian Capps then gave the hosts a 3-2 lead with a sacrifice fly to center.

The Huskers had several opportunities in the early frames, loading the bases in both the third and fourth innings, but could not capitalize, as Red Raider starter Tanner McElroy, who was making his third start of the year, pitched out of both jam without allowing a run

"We had a lot of opportunities early on, but we didn’t capitalize," Anderson said.

Kroenke went 3.2 innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits before Dustin Timm got him out of a two-on, two-out jam in the fourth, but ran into trouble one inning later. Blair gave the Red Raiders a 4-2 lead, as he led off the fifth with a solo homer, his 16th of the season. After Avants reached on an error, he stole second and scored on Stewart’s RBI single to right to make it 5-2. The Red Raiders tacked on another unearned run in the seventh, as Blair, who had three hits, walked to open the inning and moved to second on a slow roller to third. On the play, Gordon charged and got the runner, but Blair raced to third and scored as Curtis Ledbetter’s throw went into left.

McElroy kept the Huskers at bay for seven innings, allowing just four hits and two unearned runs, but did not factor in the decision, as the Nebraska rallied off the Tech bullpen in the eighth.

Nebraska closed to within 6-3 in the top of the eighth on pinch hitter Ryan Bohanan’s RBI single that scored Bryce Nimmo, who pinch hit and drew a one-out walk from reliever Brian Wyatt. The Huskers continued to rally, as Boyer kept the inning alive with a two-out single and Joe Simokaitis was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Carlton Hargrove came in to face Gordon, but hit the Husker third baseman with a 2-2 pitch to pull NU within 6-4. Carnline, who started Friday’s game, then surrendered a two-run single to Ledbetter that tied the game.

Texas Tech came back in the bottom of the eighth, as Matt Smith and Joseph Callender opened the frame with seeing-eye singles through the infield, putting runners on the corners. Chris Williams then lofted a sacrifice fly, scoring Smith with the go-ahead run. The Red Raiders eventually loaded the bases, but Jensen got Avents to ground out to end the eighth

The Huskers begin a five-game homestand on Tuesday evening against Northern Illinois. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. and the game will be aired on selected Pinnacle Sports Network stations. In addition, fans that have tickets for the March 22 game against Western Illinois or the April 12 game against North Dakota State can use those tickets for GA seating for any of the five remaining regular-season home games.

 

2005 Nebraska Baseball #3 Nebraska at Texas Tech May 15, 2005 at Lubbock, Texas (Dan Law Field)

Nebraska 6 (41-12,16-8 big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Boyer, Jesse lf.......... 5 1 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 Simokaitis, Joe ss....... 3 1 1 0 1 0 1 3 0 Gordon, Alex 3b.......... 3 0 0 1 1 1 0 2 3 Ledbetter, Curtis 1b..... 5 0 3 2 0 0 8 1 0 Fusilier, Brandon dh..... 2 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 Buckman, Brandon ph..... 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 Bruce, Daniel cf......... 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 3 Adams, Trey ph/cf....... 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Gerch, Andy rf........... 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 Nimmo, Bryce ph/cf...... 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 Opitz, Jake 2b........... 5 0 1 0 0 0 3 1 0 Christy, Jeff c.......... 1 0 0 0 2 0 6 1 1 Bohanan, Ryan ph........ 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Hightower, Mark c....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Wehrle, Ryan ph......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Kroenke, Zach p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Timm, Dustin p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Watson, Tony p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Jensen, Brett p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 36 6 10 4 7 3 24 12 12

Texas Tech 7 (31-20,9-13 big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Blair, Cameron ss........ 3 3 3 1 2 0 1 3 0 Avants, Carey 3b......... 3 1 0 1 0 0 1 2 3 Stewart, Trey 1b......... 4 0 2 2 0 1 10 2 0 Capps, Brian lf/rf....... 3 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 Smith, Matt dh........... 3 0 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 Edwards, Madison ph..... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Callender, Joseph 2b..... 4 0 1 0 0 0 3 4 1 Thomas, Brent rf......... 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Williams, Chris ph/lf... 1 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 0 Fuller, Cody cf.......... 2 1 1 0 1 1 2 0 0 Fouts, Cooper c.......... 3 1 0 0 0 2 4 1 2 McElroy, Tanner p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Wyatt, Brian p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Hargrove, Carleton p.... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Carnline, Billy p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 28 7 9 6 4 7 27 13 7

Score by Innings R H E ------------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 020 000 040 - 6 10 3 Texas Tech.......... 003 020 11X - 7 9 4 -------------------------------------------

E - Ledbetter, C 2(9); Timm, D.(1); Blair 3(27); Ta., McElroy(1). DP - TT 3. LOB - Huskers 12; TT 7. 2B - Adams, T.(2); Fuller(10). HR - Blair(16). HBP - Simokaitis; Gordon, A.; Fuller. SH - Avants(9); C, Fouts(7). SF - Avants(4); Capps(2); Williams(3). SB - Avants(11). CS - Ledbetter, C(2); Stewart(2); M., Smith(1).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF ----------------------------------------------- Kroenke, Zach....... 3.2 5 3 1 1 2 11 17 Timm, Dustin........ 2.1 2 2 1 0 3 10 10 Watson, Tony........ 1.0 0 1 0 1 1 3 4 Jensen, Brett....... 1.0 2 1 1 2 1 4 7

Texas Tech IP H R ER BB SO AB BF ----------------------------------------------- McElroy, Tanner..... 7.0 5 2 0 6 3 26 32 Wyatt, Brian........ 0.2 2 4 4 1 0 4 6 Hargrove, Carleton.. 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Carnline, Billy..... 1.1 3 0 0 0 0 6 6

Win - Carnline (7-3). Loss - Jensen, B. (2-3). Save - None. WP - Jensen, B.(1). HBP - by Kroenke, Z. (Fuller); by Wyatt (Simokaitis); by Hargrove (Gordon, A.). Umpires - HP: Doug Williams 1B: Bob Homolka 3B: Tim Norman Start: Noon Time: 2:51 Attendance: 2443 Game notes: Mike Anderson ejected in the top of the sixth. Hargrove faced 1 batter in the 8th. Game: NU53