Huskers Take Game One of Doubleheader, 8-1

Piscataway, N.J. – The Nebraska baseball evened it series with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Saturday with an 8-1 victory in the first game today’s doubleheader. Game two of today’s doubleheader is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. (CT).

After missing his last three weekend starts with an injury, freshman Matt Waldron returned to the mound on Saturday and showed little signs of rust. The Omaha Westside product went 6.0 innings, allowing one run on six hits and a walk, while striking out four. Waldron retired the Scarlet Knights in order three times on the day and improved to 5-1 in the victory.

Fellow freshman Robbie Palkert toss three scoreless frames and struck out three to record his first career save.

Jake Placzek, Steven Reveles and Jesse Wilkening each notched a pair of hits, including doubles from both Placzek and Reveles. Placzek and Ben Miller each drove in a pair of runs.

With the game knotted at 0-0 and only one hit for the Huskers through the first four innings, NU’s offense exploded for five runs on five hits in the top of the fifth. Nebraska sent 10 batters to the plate and knocked starter John O’Reilly out of the game. The bottom of NU’s lineup loaded the bases with no out and Reveles broke the scoreless tie with a RBI single. O’Reilly was nearly out of the threat following consecutive pop ups from Ryan Boldt and Placzek, but Jake Meyers came through with a two-out RBI single and Miller followed with a two-RBI single. Reliever Reed Shuttle took over and uncooked a wild pitch, allowing Meyers to score NU’s fifth run of the inning. Scott Schreiber added NU’s fifth hit of the frame before Shuttle got a 6-3 ground out off the bat Luis Alvarado, his second at-bat of the inning.

Following a 1-2-3 bottom of the fifth from Waldron, NU’s offense added two more runs in the top of the sixth, extending its lead to 7-0.  The bottom of the order again set the table, as Schleppenbach worked a one-out walk and Reveles followed with his eighth double of the year. Placzek came through with a RBI single and Boldt followed with a sacrifice fly.

Rutgers ended the shutout in the bottom of the sixth with a run on three hits, the Scarlet Knights had three hits through the first five innings. Rutgers got consecutive singles to start the frame, but Waldron continued to execute and got a 5-4-3 double play off the bat of Christian Campbell. Waldron was unable to get out of the jam unscathed though, as Tom Marcinczyk delivered a two-out RBI single.

Working with a 7-1 lead, Palkert took the mound in the seventh and gave up consecutive singles. The freshman from Golden Valley, Minn., responded with a strikeout and a pair of fly outs to strand both runners. NU then tacked on a run in the top of the eight, stretching the lead to 8-1. Wilkening worked a leadoff walk, stole second with two outs and scored on Placzek’s 12th double of the season.