Asche, Hauptman Lead Nebraska to Series Finale Win

Lincoln, Neb. - Cody Asche hit his sixth homer of the season and Casey Hauptman allowed only an unearned run in the final 6.2 innings to lead Nebraska (19-11, 2-4) to a 6-4 series finale win over Oklahoma State (21-7, 5-4) on Sunday afternoon at Hawks Field.

Asche was 3-for-4 with three RBIs, including a two-run shot in the fifth inning before producing the game-winning RBI with a sacrifice fly in the eighth. Hauptman's 6.1 innings marks the longest relief appearance by a Husker since Luke Wertz went 7.1 innings on April 22, 2007 against Texas.

"They showed up for everything today and I couldn't be more proud of them," head coach Mike Anderson said. "Their spirit, their energy, everything was very good. Had we lost that baseball game, I would've been able to say the same thing. Not only did they bring their energy, but they brought their clutch tendon too."

Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning, Asche stepped to the plate with one out and a runner on second base. Facing a 1-2 count, Asche had fouled off three pitches, including the final one that was nearly caught by OSU catcher Jared Womack before it was dropped. Asche took advantage of the opportunity and belted the next pitch in the right field bullpen for a two-run homer that put Nebraska ahead 4-3. Following the home run, Oklahoma State head coach Frank Anderson was ejected from the game as he argued Womack had caught the foul tip.

Hauptman needed little help from the offense as he improved to 5-2 and threw a season-high 83 pitches while striking out five and allowing five hits. He gave up only an unearned run in the seventh, but Asche delivered a sacrifice fly in the eighth for the game-winning run before Kash Kalkowski also nabbed an RBI on a fielders choice to make it 6-4.

A senior from Omaha, Neb., Hauptman sat down seven straight Cowboys from the third to fifth innings. He did not walk any batters, which improves his season strikeout-to-walk ration to 36:1. The one walk was intentional against UCLA on March 6.

"Coming in after two losses, everyone was real determined and ready to get after it," Hauptman said. "We played good defense and hit the ball. Coach Anderson talked to me before the game and said, 'If we get in any trouble, be ready.' I was going to go as long as I possibly could. I hadn't pitched all weekend, so I was ready to go."

Hauptman took over for starter Dylan Vogt, who went 2.2 innings and gave up three runs on four hits.

Offensively, Nebraska won its first game of the season when being outhit by its opponent, as Oklahoma State led the hit total, 9-6. The Huskers put the leadoff man on base in every inning except the first, but came up empty in four of those frames. Nebraska did cash in its first such opportunity in the second inning when Cory Burleson ripped a 2-RBI single up the middle to give NU a 2-1 lead.

The Huskers also drew a season-high six hit-by-pitches on the afternoon, including three to the leadoff batter. Nebraska entered last week ranked fourth nationally in hit-by-pitches and it has now been plunked 57 times this season. For the second time this year, Kale Kiser was hit three times.

Nebraska will remain at home to wrap up a five-game homestand as it hosts Creighton on Tuesday night at 6:35 p.m. The game will be televised statewide and nationally on NET and CBS College Sports. For tickets, log on to Huskers.com, call 1-800-8-BIG-RED or visit the NU Athletic Ticket Office.