Freshmen Power Huskers to Regional Final

Lincoln -- Nebraska's freshman class was unfazed by two weather delays and the Bluejays in helping the top-seeded Huskers to a 10-8 victory over third-seeded Creighton in the winner's bracket game at the Lincoln Regional at Hawks Field Saturday night.

With the win, the Big 12 champion and No. 3 national seed Huskers improved to 53-13 on the year and moved into Sunday's regional championship game at 6:05 p.m. at Hawks Field. The Bluejays, who dropped to 47-16 on the season, return to the field in the loser's bracket Sunday afternoon at 1:05 in an elimination game against NC State, a 9-7 winner over UIC earlier Saturday.

A school-record home crowd of 8,662 fans were on hand as the Huskers evened the season series at two games apiece with the Bluejays. The record attendance broke Nebraska's previous school record of 8,569 fans set against Richmond in the 2002 Super Regional.

Freshmen Andy Gerch, Ryan Bohanan and Jake Opitz combined for four hits and eight RBIs to pace the Husker offense. Gerch drove in four runs, including a game-changing three-RBI triple and an RBI single that scored Alex Gordon on the last play before the second rain stoppage in the top of the seventh inning. Gerch has driven in 11 runs in the last four games, including a career-high six RBIs in a Big 12 Tournament semifinal win over Missouri and the Huskers' game-winning run in the Big 12 championship game.

All-Big 12 pitcher Johnny Dorn, also a freshman, allowed just four runs -- three earned -- on six hits over 6.2 innings to pick up his 11th straight win of the season. Dorn improved to 11-1 on the year while helping Nebraska improve its school-record win total to 53 games this season. Dorn retired 14 of the final 18 batters he faced before exiting in the seventh.

Another freshman picked up the save, as Tony Watson came on to record the final out to preserve the Husker win and his first career save. Bohanan also pitched in relief, holding CU scoreless in the eighth before giving up four in the ninth.

Nebraska got on the scoreboard first, picking up a single run in the top of the first inning without recording a hit. Jesse Boyer led off the game by reaching on a two-base throwing error by third baseman Gabe Lapito. Boyer then moved over on Joe Simokaitis' groundout and came home when Gordon lifted a sacrifice fly to the warning track in left field to give the Huskers a 1-0 lead.

The Bluejays came right back with a run in the bottom of the frame, as Brad Dutton singled with one out and moved to second when Dan Norquist was hit by a Dorn pitch. Dutton scored on Chris Gradoville's two-out single to center and Norquist tried to score from first when Husker center fielder Daniel Bruce bobbled the ball. But Bruce recovered in time to get a solid throw in to Opitz at second base, who fired on the money to catcher Jeff Christy for the tag at home to get the Huskers out of the frame tied at 1-1.

The teams went scoreless through the second inning before the first weather delay halted the game for 53 minutes by lightning near Hawks Field and a tornado warning in the Lincoln/Lancaster County area, although most of the crowd of 8,600-plus fans remained in the ballpark.  

Nebraska quickly jumped back on top following the delay, taking a 2-1 lead in the top of the third. With one out, Boyer reached on an error for the second straight at bat and moved up on Simokaitis' single through the hole into left. Gordon was hit to load the bases and cleanup hitter Curtis Ledbetter drove in the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly to center field.

Creighton's bats were not slowed by the delay either, as Dutton led off the bottom of the frame with a solo home run into the right field bullpen, his fifth long ball of the year. Dorn allowed another single to Zach Daeges before Norquist hit into a double play and Ledbetter made a spectacular diving grab to his right on a smash by Gradoville to get the Huskers out of the frame tied at 2-2.

Nebraska loaded the bases for the second time in three innings in the fifth. With one out, Simokaitis walked to move over Boyer, who had reached on a fielder's choice. After a Gordon groundout, Ledbetter was hit by a pitch before Gerch laced a shot to the warning track nearly at dead center field, over the head of CU center fielder Colin Shockey to clear the bases and give NU a 5-2 lead.

Gerch's three-RBI triple chased Bluejay starter Adam Schaecher, who finished the night after allowing six runs -- four earned -- on four hits over 4.2 innings.  Bohanan then greeted Teddy Ogilvie by punching a single through the hole into left to drive in the Huskers' sixth run of the game.

Opitz opened the Husker lead to six runs in the top of the sixth when he pounded a two-run homer to right field for an 8-2 lead. The blast scored Bruce, who had reached on a walk to open the inning.

The Bluejays fought back in the bottom of the sixth, picking up an unearned run when Norquist scored from third on Daniel's groundout. But Nebraska came right back with a run in the seventh as Gordon led off with a double and moved to third when Ledbetter reached on an error. Gerch then drove in Gordon for a 9-3 lead and sent Ledbetter to third, before rain stopped play for the second time in the game.

When play resumed, the freshmen went back to work as Bohanan lifted a sacrifice fly to left to score Ledbetter and increase the Husker cushion to seven runs.

CU reliever Trevor Benson then retired the side to get out of the eighth and the Bluejays added a run in the bottom of the frame. Lapito was hit by a pitch to lead off the seventh and scored from second on Dutton's single through the right side that chased Dorn. Jeremy Becker came on in relief and got Nebraska out of the inning with a 10-4 lead on just one pitch, before Bohanan took over on the mound in his 20th pitching appearance of the season.

Benson finished the game by going 3.1 shutout innings allowing just one hit to keep CU within striking distance. The Bluejays cut into the lead in the bottom of the ninth as Bohanan hit Lapito to lead off the inning and Shockey singled to put two on. Tony Roth then doubled down the left field line to drive in Lapito and cut the lead to 10-5 with no outs.

Bohanan then struck out Dutton before Daeges drove in a run on a groundout to pull CU within four. Norquist's double down the right field line scored Roth and made it 10-7 in favor of the Huskers before Norquist doubled in another run to chase Bohanan and set up Watson for the save.