Huskers Sweep Doubleheader, Take Series at Cal Poly

San Luis Obispo, Calif. – The Nebraska baseball team (12-10, 0-0 Big Ten) swept a doubleheader from the Cal Poly Mustangs (8-15, 0-0 Big West) on Saturday at Baggett Stadium and took the series 3-1. Nebraska held off late rallies from the Mustangs in both games, winning game one, 6-5, and game two, 6-4.

Trailing 6-1 and with only three hits entering the bottom of the ninth, the Mustangs scored three runs on five hits and had the tying run on base when Robbie Palkert entered the game. The sophomore needed just three pitches to earn his first save of the season, getting Jack Kuzma to bounce into an game-ending 6-4-3 double play.

After scoring five runs on 11 hits over the first two games of the series, the Huskers totaled 12 runs on 19 hits in the doubleheader sweep on Saturday. With six doubles in game one, the Huskers added four doubles and two triples in game two.

Freshman Mojo Hagge and sophomore Mike Waldron paced the Huskers with two hits each, including a double and triple from Hagge. Waldron chipped in a double and scored a game-high two runs.

Lincoln native Connor Curry made his first career start on Saturday and didn’t allow a hit over 3.2 shutout innings. In his fourth appearance of the year Curry did walk three, but also struck out four Mustangs. Nate Fisher backed up Curry and earned his first career win. The Yutan, Neb., native struck out a career-high four over a career-high 4.2 innings.

The Huskers touched up Cal Poly starter Cam Schneider for five runs (four earned) on five hits over 4.0 innings. All five hits allowed by Schneider went for extra-bases.

With just one triple on the year entering the game, the Huskers notched a leadoff triple in both the first and second innings. Hagge started the game with a triple and then scored the game’s first run on a sacrifice fly by Angelo Altavilla. Curry sat the Mustangs down in order and then Luis Alvarado opened the second with his first career triple. Jesse Wilkening then made it 2-0 Huskers with a RBI groundout.

Curry gave up his first baserunner when he walked Cal Poly’s leadoff man in the second, but came back with three straight outs, including this third strikeout of the game. Curry got the first two outs of the fourth before he gave way to Fisher, who retired Josh George to keep the Huskers ahead, 2-0.

The Huskers caught a break in the top of the fifth when shortstop Kyle Marinconz committed Cal Poly’s second error of the game, allowing Jake Schleppenbach to reach. Nebraska took advantage and scored three runs on three straight doubles from Waldron, Joe Acker and Hagge, the first career doubles for both Waldron and Acker. The three-run frame extended NU’s lead to 5-0.

Cal Poly broke up the no hitter and the shutout with one swing in the bottom of the fifth, as Marinconz made up for his error with a solo home run to right field, his first home run of the season. Fisher went right back to work and retired the next three Mustangs in order, limiting the damage to one run.

Fisher retired Cal Poly’s 2-3-4 hitters in order in the sixth and retired his seventh straight Mustang to start the bottom of the seventh before George notched Cal Poly’s second hit of the game. Fisher bounced right back with an inning-ending 3-6-3 double play.

After not scoring since the fifth, the Huskers tagged on an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Waldron led off with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out RBI single by Scott Schreiber.

Trailing 6-1, the Mustangs didn’t go away quietly in the ninth. Nick Meyer led off with a single and after Fisher recorded a fly out, Scott Ogrin hit a two-run homer that cut NU’s lead to 6-3. Jake McSteen came in and allowed three straight hits, including a RBI single by pinch-hitter Kevin Morgan. Palkert took over with Kuzma up and promptly ended the Mustangs’ rally.

The Huskers will be back at Hawks Field on Tuesday night when they host Kansas State in non-conference action. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.