Huskers Hold Off Utes in Weekend Finale, 7-4Huskers Hold Off Utes in Weekend Finale, 7-4
Baseball

Huskers Hold Off Utes in Weekend Finale, 7-4

Surprise, Ariz. – The Nebraska baseball team (5-3) took down Utah for the second time in the Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge, defeating the Utes, 7-4, at Kansas City Royals Practice Field No. 6 on Sunday afternoon.

Senior Matt Warren, making his second start of the season, notched the win in 5.2 innings. He gave up two runs (one earned) and struck out five Utes. Nate Fisher went 2.0 innings and Matt Waldron threw 0.1 inning before Jake Hohensee earned his third save of the season with a shutout ninth inning.

Nebraska took a 1-0 lead in the third when Jaxon Hallmark’s RBI single brought in Mojo Hagge. NU managed two hits in the inning, but left three on base after a fielder’s choice to home and a strikeout.

The Utes tied it in the fifth, but the Huskers responded with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the frame. Scott Schreiber and Jesse Wilkening each walked and advanced one base on a passed ball. Luke Roskam’s RBI groundout scored Schreiber. Hallmark roped an RBI double to score Wilkening.

In the sixth inning, Utah scored one run again, but the Huskers scored twice to extend the lead to 5-2. Alex Henwood walked in the leadoff spot and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt before advancing to third on a groundout. He scored on a wild pitch. Schreiber ripped a double to right center field before Wilkening’s RBI single brought him in.

Nebraska added two runs in the seventh. Alvarado and Henwood each singled and advanced one base on a wild pitch. Angelo Altavilla walked to load the bases before Hagge’s two-RBI single. Utah managed two runs of its own in the eighth inning before Hohensee came in for the save in the ninth.

The Huskers visit Wichita State next weekend for a three-game series, beginning Friday at 3 p.m. (CT). The series continues on Saturday at 2 p.m., before the finale on Sunday at 2 p.m.