Huskers Drop Rubber Match at Kansas, 11-5

Lawrence, Kan. - Nebraska fell behind 5-1 through four innings but after tying the game in the fifth, the Husker offense was shut out in its final four at-bats as it dropped the rubber match to Kansas 11-5 on a windy day Sunday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark.

Freshman left handed pitcher Logan Ehlers made his collegiate debut and threw 4.1 innings, giving up eight runs on five hits, although the first five runs were unearned due to two infield errors and a passed ball.

"I'm so proud of him," head coach Mike Anderson said. "I went out to settle him down after two errors and Logan was the one settling them (the team) down. What great composure, competitiveness (by him). That's exactly what I want. In that four-run inning, a lot of that stuff happens. When you have chaos going on around you, it's kind of tough to stay in control, but it's a team game and we have to be better with that."

Trailing 5-1, Nebraska used a four-run fifth inning highlighted by a three-run homer from Cody Asche to tie the game, 5-5. Kansas answered with a 3-spot in the bottom half before adding three runs over its final two at-bats.

Ehlers was strong early on, throwing only seven pitches to retire Kansas in the first inning via two flyouts and a foul out. The Nebraska City, Neb., retired the first five Jayhawks he faced and did not give up a hit until the third inning when Jimmy Waters' three-run homer to left capped a four-run inning.

Ehlers struck out Jordan Dreiling to start the inning before Kaiana Eldredge reached on a throwing error and advanced to second on the throw. Brandon Macias then grounded to Chad Christensen at shortstop, who attempted to throw out Eldredge at third but his throw sailed high of Asche for the second error of the inning. Eldredge scored on the next batter when Brunansky offered a sac bunt back to Ehlers but the throw home was wide right as Eldredge slid in safely head first. Tied 1-1, Waters took advantage of a strong wind out of the southwest with an opposite field three-run homer over the left field fence, marking the first hit Ehlers gave up.

Kansas added a fifth run, also unearned, in the fourth inning after Casey Lytle hit a leadoff double and advanced to third on a passed ball before he scored on a sac bunt from Dreiling.

Nebraska put together its strongest inning of the weekend in the top of the fifth, beginning when Kale Kiser doubled home Tanner Krietemeier to cut the deficit to 5-3. After Peters was hit by a pitch, Asche hit an opposite field three-run homer to left center to tie the game 5-5.

The Huskers held an early lead as Bryan Peters gave NU its first hit of the game and a 1-0 advantage in the top of the third with a solo homer to left field. It was his second career home run and the first since hitting a walkoff shot against UCLA on March 6.

Farmer was the only Husker to produce a multiple-hit game as he went 2-for-4 in NU's six-hit effort. Kansas tallied 10 hits off five NU pitchers.

Nebraska will now travel south for a Tuesday night non-conference game at Wichita State.