Shocker Comeback Tops NU

Wichita, Kan. ? Damon Sublett’s two-run eighth-inning single capped a four-run rally, as No. 11 Wichita State pulled a 5-3 come-from-behind victory over Nebraska Wednesday night at Eck Stadium.

The Shockers (27-8) trailed 3-1 entering the bottom of the eighth, but rallied for four runs on four hits and two walks against the Husker bullpen, using an RBI double from Conor Gillespie and an infield single off the bat of Tyler Weber to tie the score at three before Sublett gave WSU its first lead of the night with a two-run single to center.

Charlie Shirek (2-5) suffered the loss, allowing three runs on two hits without retiring a batter to start the eighth, spoiling strong performances from starter Drew Bowman and Matt Foust, who combined to allow just one run over the first seven innings. Bowman allowed one run on six hits over 5.2 innings while Foust got the Huskers out of a two-on, two-out jam in the sixth and pitched a perfect seventh.

Shirek walked Matt Brown to open the eighth before a single by Danny Jackson and Gillespie’s double made it a one-run game. Zach Herr came in and struck out Andy Dirks for the first out and NU intentionally walked the next hitter in hopes of getting a double play. Weber then lined a shot of Bird’s glove hand that Craig Corriston picked up and nearly threw out pinch runner Ryan Jones at the plate, but Jones beat the throw to tie the game.

"This is another game we should have won," Nebraska Head Coach Mike Anderson said. "We keep putting ourselves in a position for success, but we can’t get over the hump. It’s extremely important that we throw strikes and it is extremely important that we learn how to pitch in the seventh, eight and ninth innings. We feel like we have the staff and the people to do it, but we have to start performing at that level."

Noah Booth ended NU’s hopes for a comeback, as he retired the side in order in the ninth, as he went the final two innings to improve to 4-1 on the season.

Center fielder Bryce Nimmo went 2-for-4 and scored twice for NU, while catcher Mitch Abeita also had two hits, as the pair combined for nearly half of Nebraska’s 10 hits on the night.

Nebraska jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second on Thad Weber’s two-out RBI single. Corriston doubled to left with one out before coming home two batters later, as Weber, making his first start since March 17, lined a 1-1 pitch to center

The Shockers got the run back in the bottom of the frame, as Gillespie doubled and scored two batters later on Dusty Coleman’s RBI double. That would be the only run Bowman would allow, as he struck out three and walked just one

Nebraska regained the lead in the third on a two-out RBI single from Ryan Wehrle. Nimmo opened the inning with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch from WSU starter Max Hutson before Wehrle’s two-out single to left gave the Huskers a 2-1 lead.

Nimmo was at the center of the Huskers’ third run in the fifth, as he led off with single and stole second before coming home on Abeita’s run-scoring single to center.

The Huskers will begin a three-game series at No. 23 Oklahoma on Friday night at 7 p.m. The game will be carried across the state on the Husker Sports Network and on the Internet at Huskers.com.

Notes: Andrew Brown and Jeff Tezak both extended their hit streaks to 12 games, while Andy Gerch pushed his hit streak to 10 games...Nebraska has now lost six games on an opponent’s last at-bat this season and falls to 6-4 in one-run games...Nebraska had won the last three meetings with Wichita State before tonight’s loss...Nebraska hitters tied their season high with 12 strikeouts, while failing to draw a walk for only the second time this season...tonight’s blown save was only the second of the season for the Husker bullpen, who was 12-of-13 in save opportunities before tonight.