Waldron and Schreiber Lead Huskers to 3-0 Win

Lincoln – Following a rain delay that pushed back the start of Saturday’s game by just over two hours, the Nebraska baseball team (8-6, 0-0 Big Ten) notched its second straight shutout and secured a series victory over the Loyola Marymount Lions (6-9, 0-0 WCC) with a 3-0 win. The Huskers will go for the four-game series sweep tomorrow, with first pitch set for 12:05 p.m., and redshirt freshman Jake McSteen will make his first career start.

Three pitchers combined for NU’s fourth shutout of the season, starting with freshman Matt Waldron. In his second career start, Waldron tossed a career-high 6.2 innings, topping his 6.0-inning relief outing against Tulane two weeks ago. The Omaha Westside product struck out five for the second straight week, didn’t allow a runner to get into scoring position until the sixth and induced three double plays on the day.

Senior Jeff Chesnut tossed 1.1 innings with two strikeouts and freshman Chad Luensmann recorded NU’s first save of the season with a scoreless ninth innings.

After missing both games of yesterday’s doubleheader, Scott Schreiber returned to the lineup and was a part of all three Husker runs. The sophomore slugger, who recorded three homers during the midweek, drove in a pair of runs in the fifth and then scored a run in the eighth on Jake Meyer’s third triple of the year.

With the game scoreless entering the bottom of the sixth, Nebraska finally broke through with a pair of runs on three hits, but did leave the bases loaded. With runners on second and third and one out following Jake Placzek’s fifth double of the year, the Lions gambled by loading the bases with an intentional walked to Ben Miller to setup a double-play situation. The gamble failed, as Schreiber blooped a two-RBI single into right field for his eighth and ninth RBIs of the week. After LMU starter Cory Abbott walked Meyers to again load the bases, LMU went to reliever Harrison Simon. The right hander got the Lions out of the jam with strikeout and a groundout.

Nebraska added an insurance run in the eighth when Schreiber roped a two-out double to left field and then scored on Meyers second triple of the series.

Luensmann retired the first two batters he faced in the ninth, but the Lions didn’t go away quietly as they put together back-to-back two-out singles that brought the tying run to the plate in Ted Boeke. Luensmann settled in an got Boeke to a bounce into a game-ending fielder’s choice.

The Lions had their chances to score in the game, but each time NU’s pitchers rallied. LMU created the first threat of the game in the fourth when they had runners on first and second with one out following Niko Decolati’s second hit of the game. Waldron quickly extinguished the threat with his second double-play ball.

After the NU took a 2-0 lead in the sixth, the Lions looked to answer in the top of the seventh when they got back-to-back singles to start the frame. Waldron again executed his pitches and got his third double play of the game. With a runner on third and two outs the Lions went to pinch-hitter Seaver Whalen, and the Huskers countered Chesnut. Making his 69th career appearance, Chesnut struck out Whalen looking to keep shutout intact.