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Austin, Texas ? Ryan Wehrle’s two-run fifth-inning single highlighted a six-run inning, while Charlie Shirek turned in a lights-out performance in relief, as fourth-ranked Nebraska overcame a 4-0 deficit to defeat No. 5 Texas, 7-5 in front of a crowd of 6,383 at Disch-Falk Field and a national television audience.
Trailing 4-2, Wehrle provided the game’s biggest hit, a two-run bases-loaded single to center off Longhorn reliever Kenn Kasparek that skipped past UT center fielder Drew Stubbs, allowing all three runs to score and give NU a 5-4 lead. The Huskers (31-6, 11-3 Big 12) pushed across another run on Luke Gorsett’s two-out, RBI single and then used a strong efforts by Shirek, Zach Herr and Brett Jensen to secure the win in the late innings.
“The biggest thing was Charlie’s pitching today,” NU Head Coach Mike Anderson said. “We have had great outings from Tony (Watson) all season, but today wasn’t his day. Charlie came in and held them and that allowed us to get back in the game. You have to give a lot of credit to Charlie for the job he did today.”
Shirek (3-1) earned his second win of the week, coming into the game in the third and holding the Longhorns (28-14, 13-3 Big 12) to one run on three hits over 4.2 innings for the win. Herr and Jensen both tossed scoreless innings of relief, as Jensen collected his eighth save, striking out Carson Kainer with runners on first and second to end the game.
The victory was NU’s 10th come-from-behind win this season, while the four-run deficit matched the largest the Huskers haver overcome this season. NU was out-hit 13-8, but took advantage of two key walks in the fifth that helped open the floodgates.
Texas scored two runs in both the second and third innings off NU starter Tony Watson, who went just 2.1 innings. In the second, consecutive singles by Brett Lewis and Bradley Suttle put runners on first and second. After a sacrifice bunt, Clay Van Hook reached on a fielder’s choice that plated Lewis with the first run and advanced to second on the rundown of Suttle between second and third. Nick Peoples then gave the Longhorns a two-run lead with an RBI single to score Van Hook.
The Longhorns chased Watson in the third with a two-run single by Lewis through the Huskers’ drawn in infield. Shirek then came in for Watson and got the Huskers out of jam, getting an inning-ending double play to help spark the Huskers' turnaround.
Texas left-hander Riley Boening was cruising along, taking a shutout into the fifth until the Huskers fought back with one of their best innings of the year. NU sent 10 men to the plate and scored six times, its second-largest single-inning total of the season.
Andrew Brown opened the frame with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch before Jeff Christy’s RBI single put the Huskers on the board. A Jake Mort single and a Bryce Nimmo walk loaded the bases with one out. Kasparek came out of the bullpen, but was unable to stop the rally, walking Nick Jaros to cut the lead to 4-2. Wehrle then sent a 1-1 pitch to center that scooted by Stubbs, allowing all three runs to score Two batters later, Gorsett pushed the Husker lead to 6-4 with an RBI single off Kyle Walker, extending Gorsett’s hit streak to 18 games.
Texas finally got to Shirek in the seventh, plating a run before Jaros’ sprawling catch ended UT’s rally. Chance Wheeless opened the seventh with a double before Stubbs’ single put runners at the corners. With one out, Shirek struck out Kainer, but the ball bounced away, allowing Wheeless to score and pull UT within 6-5. Preston Clark sent Shirek’s 1-1 offering deep to left, as Jaros misplayed the ball, but recovered and caught the ball as he stumbled on the warning track. Jaros then got up and began a 7-4-3 inning-ending double play, as Kainer was rounding third as the catch was being made.
The Huskers got the run back in the top of the eighth off Walker, as Gorsett doubled, moved to third on a Brown sacrifice bunt before scoring on a wild pitch by the Texas left-hander to give NU a 7-5 cushion.
The series continues Sunday afternoon with a first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. The game will be carried across the state on the Pinnacle Sports Network, including KFAB 1110 AM in Omaha, KLIN 1400 AM in Lincoln, on the Internet at Huskers.com and on SIRIUS Satellite Radio (Ch. 155).