Huskers Fall to Bluejays

Lincoln – Elliot Soto had four hits, including a leadoff homer, as Creighton downed Nebraska 13-5, Tuesday evening at Hawks Field.

The Bluejays (14-8) set the tone early, as back-to-back homers from Soto and Alex Staehely off of Nebraska starter Chase Adams helped Creighton jump out to quick 3-0 advantage, as Creighton built a 7-0 lead and silenced much of the partisan crowd of 3,284.

After the two homers, Trever Adams walked and eventually scored on a wind-blown double off the bat of Ian Dike to spot CU a 3-0 lead in the top of the first. One inning later, Creighton chased Adams (2-1) with three more runs, highlighted by Trever Adams’ double off of reliever Sean Yost, to take a 6-0 lead.

“Obviously not a good night,” Nebraska Coach Mike Anderson said. “We didn’t pitch very well and then at the end it got sloppy. Give all the credit to them. They started it off the right way. I thought we had the right guy on the mound, but it didn’t work out.”

Chase Adams (2-1) suffered his first loss of his college career, allowing six runs on five hits over 1.1 innings, snapping a string of 13 straight decisions beginning three years ago in junior college.

Scott Thornburg made it 7-0 with a solo homer off of Yost before the Huskers fought back in the bottom of the third, chasing Bluejay starter Mike Nihsen with five runs.

Nebraska began the frame with three straight hits, getting a Tyler Farst RBI single to break into the scoring column. Chad Christensen made it a four-run game two batters later, ripping a two-run double to right center to chase Nihsen after 2.1 innings. Cade Thompson and DJ Belfonte then added RBI singles, pulling Nebraska with 7-5.

The Huskers’ momentum would be short lived, as Staehely singled with one out in the fourth and came home on a two-run shot by Adams, who went 3-for-5 with three RBIs, to make it 9-5.

The top three spots did most of the damage for the visitors, going 9-for-16 with seven RBIs and six runs scored.

“We fought back, got ourselves back in the game and couldn’t keep it up,” Anderson said. “They kept scoring runs. We had Casey Hauptman, who can put zeros on the board and that was about it tonight. We needed to go to him early and he kept us in it and at least gave us a chance. Hauptman did a good job but we needed more than just Casey.”

After the fourth, the pitching on both sides shored up, as Mike Patterson (1-1) tossed 2.2 no-hit innings for the win, while NU’s Casey Hauptman didn’t allow a run until Creighton took advantage of a pair of miscues for four runs.

Christensen and Thompson had two hits apiece for the Huskers (15-14), as Nebraska totaled 11 hits, but just one hit over the final six frames.

The Huskers return to action on Friday, as they begin a three-game series at No. 20 Kansas State. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. and the game will be carried on the Husker Sports Network and Huskers.com.