%20--%3e%3csvg%20version='1.1'%20id='Nebraska_N'%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns:xlink='http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20x='0px'%20y='0px'%20viewBox='0%200%20163%20152'%20style='enable-background:new%200%200%20163%20152;'%20xml:space='preserve'%3e%3cstyle%20type='text/css'%3e%20.st0{fill:%23FFFFFF;}%20%3c/style%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M159.1,144c-2.3,0-4.1,1.8-4.1,4s1.8,4,4,4s4-1.8,4-4S161.2,144,159.1,144z%20M159,151.2c-1.8,0-3.2-1.4-3.2-3.2%20s1.4-3.2,3.2-3.2c1.7,0,3.2,1.5,3.2,3.2C162.2,149.8,160.8,151.2,159,151.2z'/%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M157.4,145.6h1.4c0.6,0,0.8,0,1.1,0.2c0.4,0.2,0.6,0.6,0.6,1.1c0,0.4-0.1,0.7-0.3,1c-0.1,0.2-0.3,0.2-0.6,0.4%20h-0.1l1.1,2.1h-0.8l-1-2h-0.6v2h-0.8L157.4,145.6L157.4,145.6z%20M158.6,147.7c0,0,0.3,0,0.4,0c0.4-0.1,0.6-0.3,0.6-0.8%20c0-0.3-0.1-0.5-0.4-0.6c-0.1,0-0.1,0-0.6,0h-0.4v1.4L158.6,147.7L158.6,147.7z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M147,0H93h-5v5v35v5h5h5v24.8L55.2,2.3L53.7,0H51H5H0v5v35v5h5h5v62H5H0v5v35v5h5h54h5v-5v-35v-5h-5h-5V82.2%20l42.8,67.5l1.5,2.3h2.7h46h5v-5v-35v-5h-5h-5V45h5h5v-5V5V0H147z%20M150,5v35v3h-3h-7v66h7h3v3v35v3h-3h-46h-1.6l-0.9-1.4L52,75.3%20V109h7h3v3v35v3h-3H5H2v-3v-35v-3h3h7V43H5H2v-3V5V2h3h46h1.7l0.9,1.4L100,76.7V43h-7h-3v-3V5V2h3h54h3V5z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M103,87L103,87L51,5H5v35c0,0,7.8,0,10,0c0,3.3,0,68.7,0,72l0,0c-2.2,0-10,0-10,0v35h54v-35c0,0-7.8,0-10,0l0,0%20c0-2.6,0-47,0-47l52,82h46v-35c0,0-7.8,0-10,0l0,0c0-3.3,0-68.7,0-72c2.2,0,10,0,10,0V5H93v35c0,0,7.8,0,10,0%20C103,42.6,103,87,103,87z'/%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Lawrence, Kan. ? Jake Opitz had three hits and drove in two runs, while his game-saving play in the bottom of the ninth helped the Huskers preserve an 11-9 victory over Kansas Saturday night.
With the Huskers clinging to an two-run lead and a runner on first with no outs, Opitz ignited a 4-6-3 double play, as he sprawled out to stop Brock Simpson’s one-hop grounder behind second and flipped to Jake Mort, who fired a strike to first to complete the double play, ending Kansas’ final gasp to return to the Big 12 Tournament.
Thad Weber earned his third save, striking out three over 2.1 innings of relief, as Nebraska (28-23, 13-13) clinched at least fifth place in the Big 12 race entering Sunday’s regular-season finale. The Huskers, who will be going for their fifth Big 12 series win in the last six weeks, can move into fourth place with a win on Sunday and a Texas A&M loss to Texas. The Longhorns won the outright regular-season title with a 3-2 victory over the Aggies Saturday night in Austin.
Kansas (28-29, 9-16 Big 12) was officially eliminated from Big 12 Tournament contention with their loss, and wins by both Baylor and Oklahoma on Saturday.
Andy Gerch led Nebraska’s 13-hit attack with a 2-for-5 effort and a season-high three RBIs, including a key two-run triple in the Huskers’ five-run fifth. Craig Corriston drove in a pair of runs, stole three bases and scored three times, while Jeff Tezak went 3-for-3 and scored three runs, as the Huskers built a 10-3 lead and withstood a furious Jayhawk comeback.
Johnny Dorn (9-2) earned his ninth win of the season, allowing six runs over five innings of work, as the junior right-hander moved into a tie for second place on NU’s all-time career wins list. With tonight’s win, Dorn became the first Husker pitcher since three-time All-American Shane Komine to defeat every Big 12 team at least once in his career.
Kansas struck in the bottom of the first, as Kyle Murphy led off with a double, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on John Allman’s grounder to third to spot KU a 1-0 lead.
Nebraska got to KU starter Nick Czyz in the top of the fourth, using run-scoring singles from Gerch and Bryce Nimmo to take a 2-1 lead. A walk to Andrew Brown and a Tezak single put runners on first and second before Gerch plated Brown with an RBI single to left. With the bases loaded and two outs, Nimmo lined a single to center for an RBI single, while Gerch was tagged out in a controversial play at the plate to end the inning.
Kansas regained the lead in the bottom half of the frame with a pair of runs, benefiting from a second controversial call from home plate umpire Matthew Johnson. With two on and two outs, Preston Land, who led KU with three RBIs, roped a two-out double to left that the Huskers seemingly got Ryne Price at the plate on the relay, but the runner was ruled safe on the play, giving KU a 3-2 lead.
The Huskers struck in the top of the fifth, scoring five times in their largest single-inning total since early April to take an 8-3 lead. The Huskers strung together four hits, including an RBI single from Corriston and a two-run double from Gerch to chase Czyz (4-8) after 4.2 innings. Opitz then greeted reliever Hiarali Garcia with a run-scoring triple before Jake Mort’s RBI single gave the Huskers a five-run cushion.
Nebraska continued to expand the lead one inning later against Zach Ashwood, getting RBI singles from Corriston, Tezak and Opitz to push the lead to 10-3.
Dorn pitched into the sixth until he ran into trouble, as a leadoff double and a pair of walks loaded the bases and ended the Husker starter’s evening. Brock Simpson coaxed a bases loaded walk from reliever Steve Edlefsen before a double play ball plated KU’s second run of the inning. Casey Larson then made it a 10-6 game with an RBI single.
The Jayhawks continued to rally in the seventh, getting an RBI single from Brock Afenir and a bases-loaded walk to Land from Weber to make it 10-8.
The Huskers tacked on an insurance run in the eighth on Tezak’s RBI single before Morrison’s RBI single in the bottom of the frame kept KU within striking distance.
The two teams will conclude the series Sunday afternoon at 5 p.m., as junior right-hander Luke Wertz (3-0, 2.09 ERA) takes on Jayhawk left-hander Wally Marciel (5-2, 3.91 ERA)