Mort, Bird Carry Huskers to Sweep

Lincoln -- Behind career afternoons from Jake Mort and Erik Bird, the Nebraska baseball team sent out its senior class in style with a 9-4 victory over Baylor Sunday afternoon at Hawks Field.

Mort led the Huskers’ offensive charge, going 3-for-5 with two homers and driving in career high five RBIs. The senior third baseman plated five of the Huskers’ final six runs, as they overcame a 4-3 deficit in completing their first Big 12 series sweep since April of 2008.

Trailing 4-3, Mort belted a two-run homer to left in the fifth to give the Huskers (25-28-1, 8-19 Big 12) the lead for good. The senior later added an RBI double in the seventh and closed out his career with his sixth homer of the year, a two-run shot into the left field berm, one inning later.

Mort’s two-homer game was the first for the Husker senior, who had hit only one homer in his first three seasons in the program, while his five RBIs topped his previous high of four set at Texas as a freshman in 2006.

“Unbelievable,” Nebraska Coach Mike Anderson said. “This is a young man that had to work to get into this program. He had to work to stay in this program. He had to work to get in the lineup. And then he had to work to be a leader. There’s nothing he hasn’t worked for, and I’m glad he got the results he wanted out of this program.”

While Mort’s timely hitting keyed NU’s offense, Nebraska used another strong pitching performance from senior Erik Bird, who went the distance for the second time in as many starts. Bird (3-2) fanned a career-high seven hitters and scattered eight hits in his first-ever Big 12 start to earn the win.

Bird, who went at least nine innings in each of his final three collegiate starts, got better as the game progressed, allowing only one runner into scoring position over his final five innings of work. Bird went 2-0 with a 1.98 ERA in his final three starts, becoming the first Husker pitcher in at least 10 years to go nine or more innings in three consecutive starts.

“He finished the right way and did some great things for this program in his career,” Anderson said of Bird’s effort. “Today is a day to relish the fact that he had a complete game, but it’s also a day to celebrate Erik Bird and the contributions he’s made on and off the field. He’s been an asset to this program.”

In all, Nebraska’s senior class of Mort, Bird, Jeff Tezak, Cody Neer and Nick Sullivan combined for seven RBIs on the afternoon, as the Huskers closed the 2009 season on a three-game winning streak.

“I don’t think I could be more proud of a group of kids for this reason: It was very adverse and challenging year,” Anderson said. “When you’re not winning baseball games, those things happen. This group stayed together and that’s the No. 1 thing I think we can learn out of this entire situation. When there was a lot of stuff going on, they kept their effort and kept trying. It didn’t result in wins, but they kept trying.”

After spotting Baylor (27-23, 10-16 Big 12) a run in the top of the first, the Huskers took advantage of a Bear error to plate three runs in the bottom of the frame off of starter Shawn Tolleson. After a hit batter and an error put runners on the corners, Tolleson (1-2) uncorked a wild pitch to score DJ Belfonte. Bailey then coaxed a walk before Tezak came through with a two-run double into the corner in left to give NU a 3-1 lead.

Baylor, which dropped its final 10 Big 12 games, came back with three runs in the fourth to regain the lead after an RBI double by Don Lambert and a two-run double off the bat of Raynor Campbell.

In the fifth, Khiry Cooper opened the frame with a walk and strolled home two batters later, as Mort deposited a Tolleson offering into the berm in left to give NU a 5-4 lead.

The Huskers got some insurance in the later innings, putting up a pair of runs in both the seventh and eighth innings of the Bear bullpen. Belfonte, who went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks, two stolen bases and scored three times, walked to open the seventh and eventually scored as Mort roped a double past third. Moments later, Tyler Farst made it a 7-4 game with a pinch-hit RBI single before Mort capped the scoring one inning later with a two-run homer.

The win ends the season for the Big Red, as they will miss the Big 12 Tournament for the first time since 1998 and finish under .500 for the first time since 1997. The Huskers will now begin preparations for the 2010 season, which is set to begin on Feb. 19, 2010.