Schreiber Homers Twice, Huskers Hammer Jays 15-2

Omaha – Behind a career night from sophomore Scott Schreiber, the Nebraska baseball team (34-18, 13-8 Big Ten) took the season-series from the Creighton Bluejays (34-14, 11-4 Big East) with a 15-2 win at TD Ameritrade Park. Nebraska’s offense pounded out a season-high 22 hits, including five from Schreiber, four from Jake Meyers and three each from Ryan Boldt and Jesse Wilkening. It’s the most hits by Nebraska’s offense since March 16, 2012, when they pounded out 24 against Louisiana Tech.

Following a 4-for-4 game on Sunday against Penn State that included two home runs, Schreiber continued to swing a hot bat on Tuesday night, going a career-best 5-for-6 with two home runs, a double and a career-high five RBIs, a triple short of the cycle. Schreiber recorded a hit in eight straight at-bats going back to Sunday and missed his ninth straight hit when he flew out to the center-field warning track in the eighth.

Schreiber now has 15 home runs on the season and Tuesday marked his third multi-home run game of the year, the first time a Husker has done that since 2006 when Brandon Buckman also had three multi-home run games.

Tuesday marked Nebraska’s 18th game at TD Ameritrade Park since it opened in 2011 and Schreiber became the first Husker to homer at the home of the College World Series with his leadoff shot in the third. With his three-run shot in the sixth Schreiber became just the third player ever and the first non-Creighton hitter to hit two home runs in a game at TD Ameritrade Park.

Schreiber is just the second player in the short history of the park to record five hits, joining Creighton’s Ryan Fitzgerald, who did it last season against Villanova.

Max Knutson picked up his third straight win in 5.2 innings of work, his third straight start of at least 5.0 innings. The lefty allowed two runs on seven hits and a walk, while striking out three. Tuesday was Knutson’s fifth start of the season and the Huskers have won all five.

After Knutson put the Jays down in the top of the first, NU’s offense went to work and got its starter a 3-0 lead. Nebraska’s first five batters in the bottom of the first reached base, starting with a double by Boldt. Jake Placzek was hit-by-pitch for 10th time this season and Meyers beat out a bunt single to load the bases for NU’s sluggers. Ben Miller plated the first two runs of the game with a two-RBI single and Schreiber followed with a RBI single before CU starter Austin Stroschein retired three straight Huskers, limiting the damage to 3-0.

Following a scoreless second from both teams, the Jays got on the board in the top of third with a two-out solo home run from Nicky Lopez, the junior’s first career home run.

With its lead cut to 3-1, Nebraska put together another three-run frame in the third. Schreiber led off with a solo home run to center field. Wilkening followed with a double and Luis Alvarado reached on a throwing error by Lopez at shortstop. With Wilkening on third, Jake Schleppenbach drove him in with a RBI single, giving the Huskers a 6-1 lead.

The Jays started a threat in the fifth when Kevin Connolly led off with a double. Knutson came back and got a lineout before CU’s lineup turned over and the Jays got back-to-back singles, with Lopez picking up his second RBI of the night with a single. With runners on the corners and Reagan Fowler up, Knutson got an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play to keep the Huskers ahead by four, 6-2.

Knutson retired the leadoff batter in the sixth but then Matt Gandy reached on a throwing error by Steven Reveles. Knutson came back and got a fly out before Ryan Fitzgerald singled to put two runners on and NU went to reliever Jeff Chesnut, who made his 89th career appearance. Chesnut walked the first batter he faced, loading the bases with two outs, and Creighton brought in pinch-hitter Brennan Hammer. Chesnut needed just two pitches to get Hammer to bounce into an inning-ending fielder’s choice, leaving the bases loaded for the Jays.

After getting out of the bases loaded jam, NU’s offense blew the game open with a four-run bottom of the sixth. All nine batters came to the plate and the Huskers notched six hits, including Schreiber’s second home run. The top of NU’s lineup started the frame with three straight singles, including a RBI single from Meyers. After reliever Ty Ramirez retired Miller for the first out of the frame, Schreiber deposited a 3-2 offering from Ramirez into the left-field bullpen, pushing NU’s lead to 10-2.

Schreiber opened the bottom of the eighth with his fifth hit of the night and Wilkening followed with a single before CU got two straight outs. NU put together a two-out rally with five straight RBI singles, getting Schreiber one more at bat. He lifted a 1-2 offering to deep center, but it was caught on the warning track.

Even though the game was a Husker road game in the RPI, Nebraska was the home team on the scoreboard Tuesday night. The Huskers and Jays take turns being the home team the second time they play at TD Ameritrade Park.

Nebraska wraps up the regular season at home with a three-game series against the Indiana Hoosiers that starts on Thursday at 6:35 p.m. Friday’s game is also at 6:35 p.m., while Saturday’s game is now at 12:05 p.m. and will be shown live on BTN.