Huskers Fall to Iowa, Face Maryland Tonight

Bloomington, Ind. – The Nebraska baseball team (35-19-1) left 14 runners stranded in a 2-0 loss to Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament at Bart Kaufman Field on Friday afternoon. The Huskers will face Maryland in an elimination game tonight.

Senior right-hander Derek Burkamper made his 14th start of the season, and went 5.0 innings. He gave up two runs, both of which were earned, while striking out three Hawkeye batters. Matt Waldron pitched 3.0 scoreless innings, striking out five Hawkeyes.

In the first inning, Scott Schreiber and Ben Miller had back-to-back singles, but were left on base to end the inning. In the bottom of the first, the Hawkeyes also left two runners on base. Their first batter was walked and third batter was hit by a pitch.

Jesse Wilkening drew a leadoff walk in the top of the second, but the next three Huskers were retired. Burkamper went 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the frame, earning one strikeout.

Jake Meyers and Angelo Altavilla each reached on singles as the first two batters in the third, but back-to-back strikeouts and a fielder's choice out ended NU's threat to score. Iowa took the lead with a home run in the bottom of the third and followed it with a single, but the inning ended with a strikeout and a baserunner caught stealing.

Jake Schleppenbach managed a single after a leadoff groundout, but a double play ended NU's chance to score in the fourth. Iowa had one hit, and another baserunner reach on a fielder's choice, but the inning ended with three groundouts.

Alex Raburn singled to lead off the fifth inning for the Huskers. Meyers was walked in the following at-bat before Altavilla's bunt attempt fouled out to the catcher. Schreiber grounded into a double play in the subsequent at-bat. Iowa added a run in the bottom of the fifth with three two-out singles.

Wilkening managed a single in the sixth, but NU's other three batters in the inning couldn't get on base. Burkamper walked the first Hawkeye batter before Waldron came in for a relief appearance. The Hawkeyes grounded into a double play before a strikeout ended the inning.

Meyers got on base in the seventh, but was left stranded as NU was struck out twice and had one groundout. Waldron struck out all three Hawkeyes in the bottom of the seventh.

Alvarado and Wilkening produced back-to-back two-out singles in the top of the eighth. A flyout ended NU's chance to score. In the bottom of the eighth, Iowa managed one hit, but couldn't score. The Huskers loaded the bases in the top of the ninth, but couldn't bring any runners home.

The Huskers will face Maryland tonight in an elimination game following Minnesota and Indiana's game.