Huskers Drop Game Two, Rubber Match Set for Sunday

Minneapolis, Minn. – The Nebraska baseball team (22-15-1, 6-4-1 Big Ten) fell to Minnesota, 5-3, at Siebert Field on Saturday afternoon, evening the weekend series at 1-1. On Friday night, the Huskers captured the opener by a 5-3 margin.

Senior righthander Derek Burkamper made his ninth start of the season, and gave up four runs in 2.0 innings of work. Matt Waldron threw 4.0 innings and managed five strikeouts, while giving up a run. Nate Fisher pitched for 2.0 scoreless innings.

Minnesota starter Brett Schulze retired all three Husker batters in the top of the first. The Gophers scored one run on three hits in the bottom half of the inning, but Burkamper escaped a bases loaded jam when he struck out Cole McDevitt looking.

In the top of the second, leadoff hitter Scott Schreiber singled to the left side for NU’s first hit of the game. Ben Miller grounded into a double play on the subsequent at-bat, but Luke Roskam homered to right field to tie the game. Roskam’s home run marked his second of the season. Minnesota loaded the bases with no outs after two singles and a walk. The Huskers managed three consecutive outs to end the inning, but the Gophers scored two runs to build a 3-1 advantage.

NU responded in the top of the third, scoring a two-out run to cut the lead to 3-2. Jake Meyers singled up the middle and advanced to second base on a balk. He scored when Angelo Altavilla singled up the middle. In the bottom of the third, Minnesota built on its lead when Jordan Smith blasted a two-run homer after a leadoff walk.

The Huskers did more two-out damage in the top of the fourth when Roskam was hit by a pitch and Alex Raburn was walked. Jesse Wilkening batted in Roskam with his single to center field. NU left two on base when a groundout to first base ended the inning. NU retired all three Gophers in the bottom of the fourth, not allowing Minnesota to score in an inning for the first time on Saturday.

Minnesota took out its starting pitcher after Meyers drew a leadoff walk in the top of the fifth. Meyers was picked off between first and second before a pair of flyouts ended any Husker threat to score. Minnesota’s Matt Stemper hit a leadoff single, but three consecutive flyouts ended the inning.

The middle of the NU lineup had one groundout and two flyouts in the top of the sixth. In the bottom of the sixth, Waldron struck out all three Gophers he faced.

In the top of the seventh, Wilkening singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Meyers became a second baserunner for the Huskers after drawing a walk, but the Gophers got out of the jam. Fisher came to the mound for NU in the bottom half of the inning, and forced three groundouts.

Miller extended his on-base streak to 22 consecutive games with his double in the eighth inning. It is the longest of his career and longest by a Husker this season. Roskam was walked, and both Huskers advanced after a wild pitch on the following at-bat. Minnesota reliever Nick Lackney escaped, however, with a strikeout. Minnesota’s leadoff hitter in the eighth got a hit, but a double play followed by a groundout to second ended the Gophers chance to build on the lead.

In the top of the ninth, Schleppenbach got on base with a walk after a leadoff flyout, but Brian Glowicki picked up his 13th save of the season with back-to-back strikeouts to end the game.

Minnesota improves to 23-11 overall with an 8-3 mark in Big Ten play. The finale of the three-game series is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. (CT).