Longhorns Top Huskers in Twinbill

Lincoln ? Despite four hits from Cody Asche on the day, the Nebraska baseball team fell to No. 9 Texas, 7-5 and 11-7, in a twinbill at Hawks Field Friday evening.

Asche provided the bright spot for Nebraska (16-17-1, 4-10 Big 12), recording his first career three-hit game in the nightcap, going 3-for-5 with three RBIs, as the Huskers were nearly in position to overcome a 10-0 deficit against a Texas staff that leads the country in ERA.

In the nightcap, Texas took command early with multiple runs in each of the first four frames to knock Jordan Roualdes (4-3) out of the game after just two innings.

In the first, the Longhorns needed just three hitters to jump to a 2-0 lead, getting a two-run double from Tant Shepherd to score Travis Tucker and Michael Torres.  UT extended the lead to 5-0 one inning later, getting a two-run double from Torres and a RBI grounder from Shepherd, who went 2-for-5 and drove in three runs.

The Longhorns added three more runs in the third, highlighted by a solo homer from Rupp, and pushed two more runs in the fourth to take a seemingly insurmountable 10-0 lead before the Huskers began to mount a comeback.

Nebraska opened the fourth with singles from Tyler Farst and Jeff Tezak before DJ Belfonte put the Huskers on the board two batters later with an RBI single. Ben Kline singled to load the bases before Cory Burleson’s sacrifice fly plated a second run. With two outs, Kale Kiser reached on a fielding miscue, opening the floodgates for the Huskers. Shinaberry came into the game for UT starter Brandon Workman, but Cody Asche greeted him with a three-run double to left, pulling Nebraska within 10-5.

The Huskers continued to climb back the game, scoring two more runs in the fifth to make it a 10-7 contest. Tezak began the rally with a one-out single before reliever Andrew McKirahan walked the next two hitters to load the bases. Ben Kline hit a fielder’s choice to short, as the Longhorns got the force at second, but threw the ball wide of the bag, allowing a second runner to score.

After Texas pushed across a run in the sixth on a two-out RBI single by Preston Clark, the Huskers still had ample opportunities to get closer.  In the seventh, Tezak reached on a bunt single before a pair of hit batters loaded the bases with two outs, buy Austin Dicharry got Burleson to ground out to end the threat. One inning later, Kale Kiser and Asche opened the eighth with consecutive singles off Austin Wood, but the Longhorn closer retired the next three Huskers to preserve the lead.

Tezak finished 3-for-4 and scored twice in a losing effort as he and Asche combined for six of the Huskers’ 11 hits.

In the opener, the Longhorns (23-8, 8-6 Big 12) jumped out to a 5-0 lead against Husker starter Sean Yost, scoring three in the second and adding two more in the fourth. In the second, UT used the long ball to plate three runs, getting a solo homer from Tant Shepherd and a two-run homer from Cameron Rupp to take a three-run cushion.

UT pushed across two more runs against Yost (1-3) in the fourth, as Kevin Keyes tripled and scored on a Husker throwing error before Rupp walked and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Connor Rowe.

The Huskers began to chip away at the lead in the bottom of the frame against Chance Ruffin. Tyler Farst and Jeff Tezak drew walks to open the frame before a throwing error on Nick Sullivan’s grounder allowed Farst to score from second on the play. DJ Belfonte made it a 5-2 game with an RBI single to left

Nebraska pulled to within 5-4 in the fifth, taking advantage of a Texas miscue. With two outs, Adam Bailey reached on an error before Farst was hit by a Ruffin offering. Tezak then came through with a RBI single to left that was misplayed, allowing Farst to score from first on the play to make it a one-run game. Keith Shinaberry came and got UT out of further damage, getting Boomer Collins to ground out to short.

Yost (3-1) took the loss, allowing five runs on five hits over a career-long five innings of work, while Shinaberry (1-0) picked up the win in relief, retiring both batters he faced after Ruffin failed to get through the fifth.

The Longhorns extended the lead against reliever Erik Bird, scoring once in the sixth on Rowe’s RBI single and another in the seventh on Brandon Belt’s RBI double to take a 7-4 lead.  Rowe and Rupp drove in two runs apiece for the Longhorns in the victory.

The Huskers made things interesting in the ninth against Taylor Jungmann, getting the tying run on first before Austin Wood got UT out of a dicey situation. Asche opened the ninth with a pinch-hit single before Mort coaxed a two-out walk to put runners on first and second. Wood came in to face the left-handed hitting Bailey, who blooped a 1-1 pitch into left center, scoring Asche to make it a two-run game. Wood then got Tyler Farst to pop out to short to collect his sixth save.

The Huskers will look to salvage the finale Saturday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. and the game will be carried across the state on the Husker Sports Network and on Huskers.com