Huskers Top Bluejays in 12 Innings

Omaha -- Jeff Tezak’s RBI double in the top of the 12th inning broke a 1-1 tie and sparked a three-run inning, as Nebraska evened the season series with Creighton with a 4-3 victory Tuesday night at Rosenblatt Stadium.

The Huskers (18-21-1) had just five hits over the first 11 innings, but strung together four hits in the 12th, including run-scoring hits from Tezak and Cade Thompson. With one out, Cody Neer and Tezak came through with consecutive doubles to plate NU’s first run of the frame. Kyle Bubak, who had two hits, then laid down a bunt single which was thrown away by CU third baseman Jimmy Swift, scoring Tezak from second. Thompson made it a three-run game, driving in Bubak with an RBI single to right.

Creighton (21-18) rallied in the bottom of the inning against Michael Mariot, who came in the 10th for Husker starter Erik Bird. One-out singles by Carson Vitale and pinch-hitter Scott Thronburg started the rally, putting runners on first and second. After Mariot retired Nick Becker for the second out, Robbie Knight roped a two-run double to right to pull the Bluejays within 4-3. Mariot then closed out the game by getting Elliot Soto to foul out to Tyler Farst, ending the Huskers’ longest since game since the opener.

Mariot (2-2) tossed 2.2 innings of three-hit relief, getting the Huskers out a jam in the 10th after the Bluejays had runners on first and second with one out. Mariot got NU out of the jam retired Knight and Soto to end the threat.

The story of the night was the performance of senior right-hander Erik Bird, who pitched magnificently in a no-decision. Bird allowed one run on six hits over a career-high 9.1 innings, the longest start by a starter in three years and only the second time since 1999 that a Husker pitcher pitched at least nine innings. Prior to Tuesday, Bird's previous career long was 6.2 innings against Wichita State in 2008.

The Huskers broke the scoreless deadlock in the top of the fifth, getting a two-out RBI from Adam Bailey, who drove in his team-high 40th run of the season.  With one out, Cory Burleson struck out but reached on a wild pitch to get the rally started. The freshman stole second and moved to third before Bailey sent a 1-1 offering from Brandon Koeningstein through the left side to score Burleson.

Creighton answered in the bottom off the fifth on NU starter Erik Bird, who threw 4.2 shutout innings. Robbie Knight doubled to left with two outs before Elliot Soto’s RBI single to right tied the score at one apiece.

The Huskers return to action this weekend, as they travel to Kansas to begin a three-game series with the Jayhawks. First pitch on Friday is set for 6 p.m. and the game will be carried on the Husker Sports Network and on Huskers.com