Huskers Outlast Utes in Extra Innings, 4-2

Surprise, Ariz. – The Nebraska baseball team (4-2) scored two runs in the 10th inning to defeat Utah, 4-2, in the Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge at Surprise Stadium on Friday evening.

Senior right-hander Luis Alvarado went 6.0 innings, striking out five, while giving up two runs. Paul Tillotson earned the win in 3.0 one-hit scoreless innings, while Jake Hohensee collected his second save in 1.0 no-hit shutout inning.

With the score tied 2-2 in the top of the 10th, Jaxon Hallmark drew a one-out walk. Hallmark advanced to second when Zac Repinski reached on an error from the Utah third baseman. Mojo Hagge delivered an RBI single up the middle, then Brison Cronenbold hit an RBI single up the middle to give NU a two-run lead, which it held after Hohensee’s shutdown bottom half of the frame.

Cronenbold notched a career-high three hits, while also leading the team with five defensive assists at shortstop. Six Huskers each had one hit.

The Utes struck first in the opening frame with one run on two hits. The Huskers, who left three on base in the top of the first, responded in the second to tie the game at 1-1. Joe Acker’s RBI single scored Hagge before back-to-back strikeouts ended the inning.

Utah retook the lead with one run in the fourth, but NU scored a run of its own in the seventh to tie it at 2-2. Senior Scott Schreiber delivered the RBI hit that scored Cronenbold.

The Huskers face No. 2 Oregon State in the Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge on Saturday at 5 p.m. (CT) at Surprise Stadium.