Mustangs Walk Off Huskers, 3-2

San Luis Obispo, Calif. – With two outs in the bottom of the ninth and the game-winning run on second base the Cal Poly Mustangs (8-13, 0-0 Big West) got a walk-off single Nick Meyer, giving the Mustangs a 3-2 win over the Nebraska baseball team (10-10, 0-0 Big Ten). The win evened the four game series at a game apiece, with the teams meeting for a doubleheader tomorrow.

The game was tied 2-2 after the third and the teams went scoreless until the Mustangs plated the winning run. The Huskers had their leadoff man on in both the seventh and eighth innings, but couldn’t find a way to take the lead.

Nebraska first six batters each tallied a hit, while its bottom three in the order went a combined 1-for-10. The Mustangs got two hits each out of Bradlee Beesley and Brett Binning.

The Huskers held the Mustangs scoreless until the seventh inning of Thursday’s series opener, but on Friday the Mustangs jumped on the board in the first to take a 1-0 lead. Derek Burkamper issued a walk to leadoff hitter Alex McKenna and it came back to hurt, as the center fielder scored the game’s first run on a two-out double by Elijah Skipps.

The Mustangs’ lead was short lived, as the Huskers plated a run in the top of the second without getting a hit. Scott Schreiber led off with a fly ball to the right-center field gap and Beesley had the ball bounce out of his glove, allowing Schreiber to coast into second on the two-base error. Spencer Howard then walked Ben Miller and with Luis Alvarado up Howard tried to pick off Schreiber, but instead the ball scooted into center field and both Huskers moved up a base. Alvarado took advantage with a sacrifice fly to center field, easily scoring Schreiber to tie the game at 1-1. With the go-ahead run on second, Howard notched his fourth strikeout of the game and fly out to keep the game knotted.

The Huskers got their second look at Howard in the third and took a 2-1 lead. After a fly out to start the third the lineup rolled over and Mojo Hagge notched NU’s first hit of the game with a double, his fourth of the season. He then moved to third on a single by Angelo Altavilla and scored on a sacrifice fly from Jake Meyers.

Nebraska’s lead didn’t last long, as a leadoff walk again came back to hurt Burkamper. Just like in the first, McKenna worked a leadoff walk and moved to second on a 4-3 groundout by Josh George. Burkamper got another ground ball, but an error by Alex Raburn at third put runners on the corners. Another ground ball should have ended the frame, but instead McKenna scored, tying the game at 2-2. Burkamper put an end to the third with his second strikeout of the game.

The Mustangs were in position to take the lead in the fourth when Binning worked a two-out walk and Jack Kuzma followed with a double, putting two runner in scoring position for the top of the lineup. Burkamper dug in and struck out McKenna looking to end the two-out rally.

Cal Poly threated again in the bottom of the sixth when it got consecutive singles to start the frame. With the 7-8-9 hitters up, the Huskers went to reliever Reece Eddins. Cal Poly gave up an out with a sacrifice bunt, putting both runners in scoring position. Eddins came through for the Huskers with a strike out and a 4-3 groundout, stranding a pair of runners to keep the game tied, 2-2.

Eddins retired the top of Cal Poly’s lineup in order in the bottom of the seventh and then NU’s offense mounted a threat in the eighth. Meyers led off with his third double of the season and Schreiber followed with an infield single to put runners on the corners with no out. Cal Poly brought in lefty Trent Shelton, who got Miller to pop up, and then the Mustangs went to right hander Slater Lee. The senior got the Mustangs out of the jam with an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.

Eddins retired his seventh straight Mustang to start the bottom of the eighth before Kyle Marinconz worked a four-pitch walk. Eddins then delivered a wild pitch and the Mustangs had a runner in scoring position with one down. The Huskers went to Chad Luensmann, who promptly got the Huskers out of the jam with a fly out and a groundout.

Lee retired the Huskers in order in the top of the ninth, setting the stage for the Mustang offense. The Mustangs got a leadoff single and a bunt single from the bottom of the lineup, putting two on and no out for the top of the order. Luensmann struck out McKenna and got a fly out from George, but couldn’t put away Meyer, who laced an single to left field and Alvarado’s thrown home was wide of the plate, as Binning scored the game-winning run.

The Huskers and Mustangs finish their four-game series tomorrow afternoon with a doubleheader at Baggett Stadium. Game one is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. (CT).