Meyers Leads NU to Series-Opening Win Over Gophers

Minneapolis, Minn. – The Nebraska baseball team (22-14-1, 6-3-1 Big Ten) opened its weekend road trip with a 5-3 win over Minnesota at Siebert Field on Friday night.

The Golden Gophers fall to 22-11 this season and hold a 7-3 record in Big Ten play. Since joining the Big Ten in 2012, Nebraska holds a 13-2 advantage in the series against Minnesota.

Junior Jake Meyers led the Husker offense with a 4-for-5 performance, which included two RBIs and two runs. In addition, Meyers stole three bases to improve to 15-for-15 on steals this season.

Junior righthander Jake Hohensee made his ninth start of the season, and threw 7.0 innings, allowing three runs and struck out three Gophers. Sophomore Jake McSteen made a relief appearance of 1.1 innings and junior Luis Alvarado earned his seventh save of the season in 0.2 innings of work.

Meyers singled to right field in the opening at-bat of the game, then stole second base and third base. Alvarado flew out to right field two at-bats later, but Meyers scored to give NU the early 1-0 lead. In the bottom half of the first, the Gophers’ Terrin Vavra got a hit, but was stranded on base.

Minnesota starter Lucas Gilbreath struck out all three Husker batters in the top of the second. The Gophers’ Matt Stemper doubled in the first at-bat of the second inning, and advanced to third on a groundout. Stemper scored on a second groundout to tie the game, 1-1.

In the top of the third, Gilbreath retired all three Husker batters, including his fifth strikeout of the game. Minnesota took its first lead when Vavra hit a two-run homer to right field, scoring Ben Mezzenga. Hohensee managed a pair of strikeouts to end the inning with Minnesota up 3-1.

Angelo Altavilla drew a leadoff walk in the fourth, but three consecutive flyouts got the Gopher defense out of the inning. Minnesota’s Jordan Kozicky managed a single in the bottom half of the inning, but the Gophers couldn’t get into scoring position.

Alex Raburn doubled to left field in the top of the fifth, marking his first extra-base hit of the season. NU drew back-to-back walks after the double, loading the bases with Jesse Wilkening and Jake Schleppenbach. Meyers delivered with a two-RBI single to right field, driving in Raburn and Wilkening and tying the game at 3-3. Altavilla reached on a fielder’s choice in the following at-bat, as Schleppenbach was thrown out at home. Alvarado’s flyout to right field to end the inning. Mezzenga had a double for the Gophers, but couldn’t score him.

In the top of the sixth, all three Husker batters were retired, with one groundout, one flyout and one strikeout. In the bottom of the sixth, the Gophers managed one walk, but couldn’t convert, keeping the score tied 3-3.

Nebraska didn’t have any baserunners in the seventh, as Minnesota brought in Tyler Hanson for a relief appearance. He threw two strikeouts and Wilkening grounded out. Minnesota’s Luke Pettersen drew a leadoff walk for the Gophers in the bottom half of the inning. Hohensee escaped after a pair of flyouts, which included Meyers throwing out Pettersen at first base.

Meyers singled up the middle to open the eighth inning for the Huskers. He advanced to third base when Altavilla singled and Minnesota committed an error. Scott Schreiber drove in Meyers with a single to the left side, giving Nebraska a 4-3 advantage. Ben Miller lined a single up the middle to give NU a 5-3 lead. With his hit, Miller got on base for his career-high 21st consecutive game, tying the longest by a Husker this season. McSteen entered the game in the bottom of the eighth and retired all three Gophers.

In the top of the ninth, Meyers got a two-out infield single and stole second base. The Huskers didn’t score him, but held a 5-3 lead heading to the bottom of the ninth, where Minnesota threatened with a hit, but couldn’t score.

Game Two of the three-game series is set for Saturday at 2 p.m. (CT). The trip to Minnesota wraps up with Game Three on Sunday at 1 p.m. (CT).