Huskers Bounce Back with 10-4 Victory

Lincoln ? Andrew Brown, Craig Corriston and Mitch Abeita had three hits apiece, leading Nebraska to a 10-4 victory over Baylor Saturday afternoon at Hawks Field.

The Huskers (26-21, 11-12 Big 12) pounded out 15 hits and used homers by Brown, Andy Gerch and Jake Opitz to snap a four-game losing streak.

Brown paced the Husker attack with a perfect 3-for-3 day at the plate, highlighted by his team-leading ninth homer of the year, as the senior first baseman also tied a career high with three runs scored.

Abeita established a career high with three hits and scored twice, while Corriston tied his season best with a 3-for-6 afternoon, as the Huskers broke a 4-all deadlock with six unanswered runs over the last six frames.

Nebraska Coach Mike Anderson said he was impressed by the Huskers’ resiliency in bouncing back following Friday’s series-opening loss.

"This game started by how they showed up this morning. The attitude they brought with them (to the ballpark) today was very, very good," Anderson said. "Offensively, we were able to put the pressure on them. We had our leadoff guy on a lot and just kept putting the pressure on, whether it was a base hit or getting hit by a pitch. When you do that, good things can happen."

The offensive outburst was more than enough for the pitching duo of Johnny Dorn and Matt Foust, who combined to hold Baylor (28-22, 9-14 Big 12) scoreless over the last six innings.

Dorn upped his record to 8-2 on the season, allowing four runs over five innings, while Foust tossed four innings of two-hit shutout relief for his fifth save. With Saturday’s win, Dorn is now within one win of tying for second on the Huskers’ all-time wins list, while Foust’s fifth save is one off of the Huskers’ single-season top-10 list.

"I really wanted Johnny (Dorn) to have the opportunity to get a win, but that wasn’t his biggest concern besides getting a win for the team," Anderson said. "We forced him into the fifth inning, and Matt (Foust) just took over and did a great job."

The Huskers took the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth, as Jeff Tezak’s two-out RBI single against BU reliever Wade Mackey, plated Mitch Abeita with the go-ahead run. Abeita opened the inning with a single and moved to third on a consecutive ground outs before Tezak sent a 2-2 pitch to right. Tezak’s run-scoring single kept the Huskers’ inning alive, as Nebraska capitalized on a Baylor error moments later to extend the lead to 6-4.

After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first, the Huskers roared back with four runs, tying the game in the bottom of the frame on Jake Opitz’s bases-loaded walk before NU chased Bears starter Randall Linebaugh with three runs in the second. With two outs, Corriston ripped an RBI double to right center before Brown’s two-run homer gave the Huskers a 4-1 advantage.

Baylor (28-22, 9-14 Big 12) came back against Dorn in the top of the third, scoring three times with two outs, including an RBI single by Beamer Weems and a two-run single from Dustin Dickerson to knot the score at 4-all.

After NU took the lead for good, the Huskers extended their lead to 7-4 in the sixth, as Brown singled, moved two bases on a wild pitch and came home on Gerch’s sacrifice fly. One inning later, Abeita’s third hit of the day, an RBI single past a drawn-in infield, made it an 8-4 game.

Nebraska, whose three homers tied a season high, used the long ball in the eighth, getting consecutive solo homers from Opitz and Gerch for the final margin.

The Huskers, who are looking for their fourth Big 12 series win in the last five weekends, will send junior right-hander Luke Wertz (2-0, 1.72 ERA) against Baylor right-hander Kendal Volz (5-1, 4.82 ERA). The game will be carried across Nebraska on the Husker Sports Network and on Huskers.com. Prior to Sunday’s game, Andrew Brown will be honored during Senior Day ceremonies.