Huskers Fall to Tigers, 12-9

Lincoln ? Tyler Farst tied his career high with four hits, but Nebraska lost a slugfest to Missouri, 12-9, Sunday afternoon at Hawks Field.

Farst picked up his second four-hit day of the year, going 4-for-5, while DJ Belfonte drove in a season-best three runs, as the Huskers out-hit Missouri, 15-10, but were hurt by a trio of errors which led to four unearned runs.

The Huskers (21-26-1, 5-19 Big 12) made it interesting in the ninth, scoring three times and getting the tying run to the plate to fall just short.

Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with no outs against Ian Burger before sacrifice flies from Ben Kline and Kale Kiser made it a 12-8 game. Cory Burleson drew a walk to keep the inning alive before Belfonte’s infield single plated NU’s third run of the inning and got Boomer Collins to the plate. Collins, who went 2-for-5 and scored twice, was unable to sustain the rally, as Brad Buehler fanned the freshman to end the game.

Missouri took advantage of a second-inning error by Collins to jump to a 3-0 lead, as he misplayed a fly ball off the bat of Steve Gray to star theinning. After a walk and a sacrifice, Michael Liberto lofted a sacrifice fly before a balk on NU starter Sean Yost made it 2-0. Ryan Lollis gave the Tigers a three-run lead with a RBI single before the Husker bats awoke.

Nebraska responded in the home half of the second by scoring five runs, highlighted by Belfonte’s two-run single to take a 5-3 lead. After a triple by Nick Sullivan, Khiry Cooper was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners. Ben Kline came through with an RBI single to put the Huskers on the scoreboard. Nebraska eventually loaded the bases before Belfonte tied the score with a two-run single. Collins then reached on an error before Cody Asche’s RBI single made it 5-3, as Collins eventually scored from first after an error by Aaron Senne in left.

Yost settled down, retiring nine of 10 in one stretch before tiring in the sixth. The redshirt freshman pitched well, but got a no-decision for his efforts, as he allowed two runs on four hits, while matching career bests in both innings (5.1) and strikeouts (six).

“We kind of fell into the same pattern of things we’ve done in the past,” Nebraska Coach Mike Anderson said. “I thought Sean Yost pitched very well. We talked about being efficient and effective and I thought Sean did that. The error got them on the board and put pressure on us to do some things.”

In the sixth, doubles by Kyle Mach and Ryan Ampleman pulled the Tigers within 5-4 and ended Yost’s afternoon. Conner Mach then gave the Tigers (28-21, 14-10 Big 12) the lead for good with a two-run homer to left off of Erik Bird (2-2). MU would eventually score four times in the frame and take advantage of a second Husker error to take a 7-5 lead.

Nick Tepesch (5-4) earned the win, allowing three earned runs on nine hits over six innings, as he fanned five on the afternoon.

The Tigers extended the lead by scoring twice in the seventh on a two-run homer by Steve Gray and three more in the eighth on Austin Holt’s homer and a two-run double by Gray. The Tiger first baseman went 2-for-4 with four RBIs, as MU took a 12-6 lead before Nebraska made a late charge.

The Huskers started six freshmen today, as Nebraska’s 15-hit outing matched its best total since March 29, as the group combined to score four of NU’s nine runs and chip in six hits.

“With five freshmen in the lineup and a sixth starting, to go out and score nine runs, that’s good,” Anderson said. “Obviously we didn’t win a baseball game, but the run production is ok.”

Nebraska will take a break for final exams and return to the diamond next Friday night, as they begin a three-game series with Cal State Bakersfield. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m.