Rutgers Rallies for 3-2 Walk-Off Win

Piscataway, N.J. – One out away from taking the series opener at Rutgers (22-20, 6-7 Big Ten) on Friday afternoon, the Nebraska baseball team (26-16, 7-6 Big Ten) was unable to complete the victory, as a single by Christian Campbell and a throwing error plated two runs, resulting in a 3-2 walk-off win for the Scarlet Knights.

All three Rutgers runs on the afternoon were unearned. Nebraska hadn’t lost a game without giving up an earned run since the 2014 NCAA Tournament, when it lost to Cal State Fullerton, 4-3. Nebraska had won 73 straight games when leading after the eighth inning, with the last loss coming in a walk-off fashion at Iowa in 2014.

Freshman Chad Luensmann struck out the first two Rutgers batters he faced in the ninth before Luke Bowerbank reached on a single and then Luensmann issued a full-count walk to R.J. Devish. Luensmann got ahead of Campbell 1-2 and looked to strikeout the RU first baseman, but instead the count evened at 2-2 and Campbell hit a slow chopping grounder down the third base line. Jake Placzek fielded the ball bare handed and tried to get Campbell, but instead threw it into foul territory. Bowerbank easily scored to tie the game and Devish scored on a close play at the plate for the game winner.

Starting pitchers Derek Burkamper and Howie Brey dueled on the day, but neither factored into the decision.

Burkamper went 7.0 innings and allowed one unearned run on five hits, while striking out five. Brey, who had tossed a complete game in each of his last three Big Ten starts, went 8.0 innings and allowed two runs on five hits, while also striking out five.

Nebraska offense scored a pair of runs on three hits over the first three innings, but then notched just two hits over the its final six frames.

The bottom of NU’s lineup got the Huskers started in third with a leadoff walk by Jake Schleppenbach and a single by Steven Reveles. After Brey got a pop out off the bat of Ryan Boldt, Placzek delivered a RBI double down the left-field line to give the Huskers a 1-0 lead. Jake Meyers followed with a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Reveles, before Brey struck out Ben Miller to end the frame.

Working with a 2-0 lead, Burkamper sat down the Scarlet Knights in the bottom of the third, with all three outs ground balls to Schleppenbach at second base.

Nebraska got a leadoff single from Scott Schreiber in the fourth, but then Brey settled in and retired 13 straight Huskers. Boldt snapped the streak with a one-out walk in the eighth.

The Scarlet Knights cracked the scoreboard in the fifth, taking advantage of a Husker error. Gaby Rosa started the frame with a bunt single and on the play took second on a throwing error by Burkamper. Rosa then took third on a passed ball and scored on a RBI groundout by Devish. Rutgers got the tying on go-ahead runs on base with two outs with a single and a walk, but Burkamper got out of the jam with a 2-1 lead, as groundout off the bat of cleanup hitter Mike Martinez ended the frame.

Due to impending weather on Sunday, the Huskers and Scarlet Knights will play a doubleheader tomorrow. Game one is scheduled for 11 a.m. (CT).