Huskers Avoid Sweep with 10-9 Win

Lincoln - With the tying run on third base and two down, Nebraska closer Josh Roeder slammed the door on the Wildcats to secure a 10-9 come-from-behind victory for Huskers in the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday at Hawks Field. The Huskers trailed 8-2 after the top of the fourth, but fought back and rallied from a deficit of six or more of the first time since March 30, 2010. The Huskers improved to 26-16 on the year and 8-4 in conference play with the victory, while also avoiding a series sweep by the Wildcats.

Down 8-2 midway through the fourth inning, the Huskers managed four runs in the fourth and three in the fifth to gain a 9-8 edge. The Wildcats knotted things back up with a run in the seventh but could not fend take the lead despite 16 hits in game two. including multi-hit outing from its first six batters.

Nebraska’s offense was paced by Blake Headley who produced a three-hit, three-RBI game with a pair of runs scored, including the game-winning sacrifice fly in the eighth. Headley has compiled multi-hit performances in six of his last eight games along with a trio of three-hit efforts.

Freshman Ryan Boldt also drove in three runs, with two RBI’s coming on his first career home run with two outs in the fourth. Christian Cox and Ty Kildow also registered two hits each in the victory.

The NU come-from-behind effort started with a four-run, five-hit performance in the bottom of the fourth. Kildow sent a sharply hit single to the first baseman to drive home Headley as the Huskers crept within five. After Steven Reveles scored on a 3-6-1 double play, Boldt blasted a 0-1 offering into the visiting bullpen in right for a two-run home run, bringing the Huskers within two.

As the Husker momentum continued to build, NU took a 9-8 lead in the fifth on three runs. Cox produced a high chopper to third base, scoring Michael Pritchard. Down by one, Taylor Fish worked a bases-loaded walk and a Boldt was hit by pitch to put the Huskers ahead 9-8 through five innings.

Colton Howell, making an appearance in long relief, provided stability for NU after a rough start to game two for the pitching staff. In the sixth inning after taking a one-run lead, Howell retired the Wildcats on just three pitches. It marked the first time a Nebraska pitcher registered a three-pitch inning since Kyle Kubat in May of 2012. Howell worked 2.2 innings and gave up just three hits, but allows the tying run to score in the seventh on a fielder's choice RBI off the bat of Jake Straub.

The Huskers rallied in the home-half of the eighth inning to gain a 10-9 edge. After a Boldt walk and an infield single to third base by Placzek put two men on with nobody out, Pritchard moved the runners up 90 feet and the Wildcats intentionally walked Kelly to load the bases in hope of a double-play ball. Headley stepped to the dish with one down and facing a full count, skied a pitch to center field deep enough for Boldt to tag up and score the go-ahead run from third.

Nebraska has no midweek games this week and will next be in action next weekend in Ann Arbor, Mich., for a three-game series against the Michigan Wolverines. The series is scheduled to open at 5 p.m. (CT) on Friday, April 25.