Dorn, Huskers Shut Down Texas

Austin, Texas ? Johnny Dorn tossed seven shutout innings and Jake Mort drove in a career-high four runs, as the No. 4 Nebraska baseball team notched a 6-0 shutout over No. 5 Texas in front of 6,131 at Disch-Falk Field Sunday afternoon.

Dorn went seven-plus innings, holding the Longhorns (28-15, 13-4 Big 12) to just five hits to up his record to 7-2 on the season. Dorn, who is 7-0 in his career in series-deciding games, struck out four and walked two while extending his consecutive scoreless innings streak to 19.1. He also upped his career record to 19-4, moving into a tie for 10th place on NU’s career win list.

Mort provided the offensive fireworks for the Huskers (32-6, 12-3 Big 12) by driving in four runs, doubling his previous single-game high, including a three-run sixth inning double that broke open a 2-0 lead. Bryce Nimmo and Brandon Buckman also had RBIs for the Huskers, who have won five of the past seven regular-season series against Texas dating back to 1999, including 3-of-4 in Austin.

With the win, the Huskers moved into first place in the Big 12 with their 11th straight series win, including seven in a row, moving percentage points ahead of the Longhorns. It also marked UT’s first home series loss since 2003, when the Longhorns lost a series to Stanford. It was UT's first three-game series loss to a Big 12 foes in Austin since NU accomplished the feat in 2002. UT had lost only twice at Disch-Falk Field entering the series against the Huskers.

Nebraska got on the board in the top of the first, using two hits and an RBI groundout by Buckman. Singles by Nimmo and Jeff Christy to open the game put runners on the corners, before Buckman hit a grounder behind the bag at second to plate Nimmo with the game’s first tally.

One inning later, the Huskers took advantage of a Longhorn miscue to plate their second run of the day on a sacrifice fly by Mort. Andrew Brown opened the second with a single and advanced to second on a fielding error by UT right fielder Nick Peoples. Jake Opitz then moved Brown to third on a sacrifice bunt and was safe at first himself when Adrian Alaniz's attempt to get Brown at third base was too late. Mort followed with a fly ball to left for a sacrifice fly, driving in Brown with NU’s second run.

The Huskers had a golden opportunity to break the game open in the third, loading the bases with two outs with Brown at the plate. The Huskers' designated hitter lined a ball into the gap in right center that Drew Stubbs caught on the run, saving three runs for the Longhorns.

Nebraska chased Alaniz with four runs in the sixth, as Mort provided the key hit, a three-run double. Luke Gorsett and Nick Jaros opened the sixth with consecutive hits before Brown sacrificed both runners into scoring position.

Alaniz then intentionally walked the left-handed Opitz to get to Mort, the No. 9 hitter in the lineup. Mort made the Longhorns pay, ripping a 2-1 pitch past third into the left field corner to clear the bases. Nimmo then greeted reliever Randy Boone with a single to center, scoring Mort with NU’s sixth run.

Gorsett led NU with three hits, extending his hit streak to a career-high 19 contests.

Alaniz went 5.2 innings, allowing six runs on eight hits to drop to 5-2 on the season.

Dorn, who had allowed one hit through the first five innings, ran into trouble with two outs in the sixth, as Stubbs doubled before Peoples walked to put runners at first a second. A double steal moved both runners into scoring position, but Dorn was able to get Carson Kainer to ground out to first to end the threat.

The Husker right-hander took a shutout into the eighth before a leadoff single by Clark and a walk to Clay Van Hook gave UT runners on first and second with no outs and ended the day for Dorn. The Husker bullpen picked up Dorn, as Erik Bird struck out Stubbs for the first out, before Zach Herr picked off Van Hook for the second out. Herr then got pinch-hitter Brent Lewis to ground out to end UT’s final threat.

The Huskers begin a four-game homestand on Tuesday evening when they host Wichita State. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. and the game will be shown on Cox Cable (Omaha), Time Warner Cable (Lincoln), Charter Media (Western Nebraska) and Metro Sports (Kansas City). The game will also be available on the Pinnacle Sports Network, including KFAB 1110 AM in Omaha, KLIN 1400 AM in Lincoln and on  Huskers.com.