Tate, Huskers Even Series with OSU

 
Stillwater, Okla. –Khris Tate allowed one run over a career-high 5.1 innings, while Cody Asche matched his career high with five RBIs, as Nebraska evened the weekend series with a 9-2 victory Saturday afternoon.

Tate (2-0) picked up his second win of the week, holding Oklahoma State to just one run in his first career Big 12 start. Tate, whose longest previous appearance this season was a three-inning start against North Dakota, allowed a run in the first and eventually worked out of base-loaded jam before settling down and pitching into the sixth.

“I was struggling early and didn’t have my best stuff, but I was able to locate (after the first inning),” Tate said. “I was able to hit my spots and let them get themselves out.”

NU Head Coach Mike Anderson was impressed that Tate was able to overcome control issues and give the Huskers an opportunity to battle back.

“It was huge for him and for us for him to struggle early and get out of it,” Anderson said. “We needed that out of a starter, and for him to do that was good to see.”

While Tate’s pitching performance was the story of the day, Nebraska’s offense also got untracked against Oklahoma State pitching. The Huskers (15-12, 3-5 Big 12) pounded out 15 hits, including three each from DJ Belfonte and Tyler Farst. Asche came through with the game’s biggest hit, a seventh-inning grand slam off of reliever Matt Klein, to give Nebraska a 9-1 cushion

The Cowboys manufactured a run against Tate in the bottom of the first without a hit to take a 1-0 lead. David Duren was hit by a pitch and stole second before scoring on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Tom Belza, who drove in both of the Cowboys’ runs on Saturday. OSU eventually loaded the bases in the frame, but Tate got Luis Uribe to ground into a fielders’ choice to end the rally.

After falling behind 1-0, Nebraska got the run back in the second, as Farst opened the frame with a double before Christensen’s RBI single two batters later knotted the.  Tate said getting some offense support was key, as it allowed him to relax on the mound.

“It was good knowing the offense had my back, and I didn’t have as much pressure,” Tate said. “It felt like starting over (after Chad Christensen’s second-inning RBI single) and helped me settle down and get used to being out there.”

One inning later, Farst, who had two doubles, keyed another rally to give the Huskers a 2-1 lead. With one out, a Kale Kiser doubled and a walk to Adam Bailey put a pair of runners on for Farst, who lined an 0-1 offering from Tyler Lyons to left center for an RBI double. Asche made it 3-1 moments later, as he lofted a sacrifice fly to center to score Bailey.  The Huskers added to the lead in the fourth, stringing together three singles to push across a run on Belfonte’s RBI single that scored Patric Tolentino to make it a 4-1 game

“I thought that was the key to the game was that we were disciplined early and late in counts and were able to drive in runs,” Anderson said. “We were able to push across some runs and keep the pressure on them. We needed to play with a lead, and the early innings allowed us to do that.”

Oklahoma State (16-8, 1-4 Big 12) threatened in the sixth, loading the bases with two outs, but Jordan Roualdes got NU out of the jam, getting Duren to ground out to end the threat.

Nebraska delivered the knockout blow to Lyons in the seventh with five runs, including homers by Belfonte and Asche. Belfonte’s solo homer gave NU a 5-1 lead before a double to Kiser and walks to Bailey and Farst loaded the bases. Asche then lofted a grand slam to right - his second grand slam of the week - to put the game out of reach.

Lyons allowed seven runs on 10 hits over 6.1 innings to take the loss to fall to 2-1 on the season.

The Huskers will go for the series win Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. Freshman Tom Lemke (4-1, 3.33 ERA) takes the hill for the Huskers. OSU has not announced its starter.