Huskers Win, 8-4, Take Series From #24 Terps

Lincoln – Ben Miller continued to swing a hot stick on Sunday, producing his second straight four-hit game, and Jake Meyers went 7.1 innings for his fifth win of the season in Nebraska’s 8-4 win over the #24 Maryland Terrapins (20-10, 6-3 Big Ten). The Huskers are now 19-11-1 on the year and 4-1-1 in conference play.

After the teams split the first two games of the series, Nebraska’s win on Sunday clinched the series win, its sixth straight Big Ten series victory dating back to last season.

Miller became the 25th member of Nebraska’s 200-hit club with his first career four-hit game yesterday, and then put together another four-hit game on Sunday with a 4-for-5 performance. In his first 170 career starts Miller went without a four-hit game before notching consecutive four-hit performances on Saturday and Sunday.

Miller feasted on Maryland pitching, going 10-for-13 (.769) in the series with two doubles, four runs scored and three RBIs. The senior first baseman slugged .923 on the weekend and had an on-base percentage of .786.

Miller entered the weekend with a .211 average and raised it 68 points over the weekend to .279. With one multi-hit game in Nebraska’s first 22 games of the season, Miller now has six multi-hit games over NU’s last nine games.

Meyers improved to 5-1 on the year and now has a 6-0 record in seven career Big Ten starts. Meyers went 7.1 inning in his seventh start of the year, the fourth time he has gone at least 6.0 innings this season. The junior allowed three runs on seven hits and one walk, while striking out four. Of the seven hits Meyers allowed, six were recorded by Maryland’s first four hitters. The rest of the Terps’ lineup went a combined 1-for-15.

Nebraska’s first four hitters were 3-for-17 on the afternoon, while the bottom five hitters went 9-for-16.

Freshman Mojo Hagge and senior Jake Schleppenbach also had solid days at the plate. Hagge went 3-for-5 with a run scored, while Schleppenbach recorded his second home run of the season, a two-run shot in the sixth that put Nebraska ahead 6-3. Schleppenbach and Jesse Wilkening, NU’s bottom two hitters, each recorded two RBIs.

Maryland freshman Tyler Blohm lasted 4.2 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and two walks. Blohm allowed a season-high six hits, topping the five he gave up to Alabama State in his first start of the season. The left hander had allowed three hits or less in each of his last five starts.

Meyers sat the Terps down in order to start the game and then the Husker offense scored the game’s first run by taking advantage of an error. Hagge led off the home half of the first with a single but Blohm quickly cleared the bases with a 5-4-3 double play. Blohm then get a routine groundball to short off the bat of Meyers, but Patrick Hisle committed his third error of the season and inning continued. Scott Schreiber worked a walk before Miller came through with a RBI single, putting the Huskers up 1-0.

Meyers sat Maryland’s first nine batters down in order before Zach Jancarski broke the streak with a leadoff double in the top of the fourth. After a 4-3 groundout moved Jancarski to third, Marty Costes delivered a RBI single that tied the game, 1-1. Brandon Gum followed with a single before Meyers stranded two runners with a his third strikeout of the game and a groundout.

The Huskers responded with a run in the bottom of the fourth, retaking the lead 2-1. Blohm retired Schreiber to start the frame before the Huskers loaded the bases with three straight singles from Miller, Luis Alvarado and Mike Waldron. With one down, Wilkening lined a ball to left where Will Watson made a diving catch, but Miller was able to tag up and race home. With two runners still on, Blohm notched his second strikeout of the afternoon to end the inning.

Meyers recorded his fourth 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fifth and then Hagge led off the bottom of the inning with his sixth double of the season. Blohm got a pop out, walked Meyers and was ahead 1-2 on Schreiber when home plate umpire Mike Schultz ejected Maryland Head Coach John Szefc. Following a lengthy delay, Blohm struck out Schreiber and the Terps brought in Jared Price to face Miller, who had recorded a hit in his each of his previous six at bats. Price sailed his first pitch to the backstop, allowing both runners to move into scoring position. Miller got ahead 2-0, fouled off four straight pitches and then lined a two-RBI double into the left-center-field gap, giving the Huskers a 4-1 lead.

Jancarski led off the top of the sixth and notched his second straight double. Meyers got a groundout before Costes blasted a 0-0 pitch to left field that nearly left the facility for a two-run home run, cutting NU’s lead to 4-3. Meyers then hit Gum to put the tying run on base. The Huskers stuck with their junior left hander, who settled and got out of the inning by inducing a fly out and picking off Gum.

The Huskers responded with two runs in their half of the sixth, with both scoring on Schleppenbach’s homer. Price got a leadoff groundout to start the frame, but then hit Wilkening and the Terps brought in left-hander Tayler Stiles to face Schleppenbach. The Lincoln native won the lefty-lefty battle, hammering an 0-1 offering into the right-field seats. Stiles then gave up a single to Hagge and got a groundout before the Terps turned to their third pitcher of the inning, Jamal Wade. The right hander walked Meyers and struck out Schreiber to end the inning.

Meyers worked around a two-out single in the top half of the seventh and then Nebraska’s offense put up two runs for the third straight innings. Miller led off the home half with his fourth hit of the game, a single. Wade hit Luis Alvarado and Maryland went to its fifth pitcher of the game, Mike Rescigno. Waldron welcomed him with a single, loading the bases, and Wilkening followed with a RBI single. Rescigno got Schleppenbach to pop out for the first out of the inning, but then with Hagge up Rescigno uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Alvarado to score, pushing NU’s lead to 8-3. Rescigno was able to strand a pair of runners with consecutive groundouts.

After giving up a one-out single to Costes in the top of the eighth, the Huskers turne the ball over to Chad Luensmann, who quickly ended the inning with a flyout and a strikeout. Luensmann retired the first batter in the ninth before he gave up a double and a RBI single. Still leading 8-4 with a runner on, Luensmann polished off the series victory with a game-ending 5-3 lineout double play.

The Huskers play at Kansas State on Tuesday night before returning home next weekend for a Big Ten series against Iowa. Tuesday’s midweek contest is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. and will be carried on FOX College Sports.