Huskers Fall to Oral Roberts, 11-4

Tulsa, Okla. – The Nebraska baseball team (11-9) fell behind 5-0 after two innings against Oral Roberts on its way to an 11-4 loss at J.L. Johnson Stadium on Tuesday night.

All three Husker batters in the top of the first struck out swinging. Oral Roberts scored first with one run in the bottom of the first. Noah Cummings hit a two-out double before Riley Keizor’s RBI single drove him in.

Angelo Altavilla became NU’s first baserunner with a one-out single in the second, but Luke Roskam lined out into a double play to end NU’s chance to score. The Golden Eagles added four runs in the second inning on three hits, but left the bases loaded when a strikeout ended the inning.

Gunner Hellstrom, making his second career start, hit a two-out single in the third, but was left stranded after an inning-ending strikeout. ORU had two baserunners in the bottom of the third, but neither scored after three flyouts ended a chance to extend its lead.

NU’s first two batters in the fourth each singled and eventually scored to cut the lead to 5-2. Zac Luckey reached on a bunt before Scott Schreiber’s single. They each advanced one base on a wild pitch before Jesse Wilkening’s sacrifice fly scored Luckey. Altavilla singled before Luke Roskam’s sacrifice fly scored Schreiber. All three Golden Eagle batters were retired in the bottom of the fourth.

NU went down in order in the fifth. In the bottom half of the inning, the Golden Eagles added six runs to build an 11-2 advantage. Spencer Henson hit a three-run home run during the inning.

Nebraska scored one run in the sixth when Luckey and Schreiber drew back-to-back walks to open the frame. A Wilkening flyout advanced Luckey to third. Luckey scored after the next at-bat when Altavilla hit a sacrifice fly to center field. ORU drew a pair of walks in the bottom of the sixth, but didn’t score.

The Huskers scored one run in the top of the seventh when the first three batters reached. Hellstrom drove in Jaxon Hallmark with an RBI single. NU left two runners stranded. The Huskers allowed a walk but no runs in the bottom of the seventh.

NU loaded the bases in the top of the eighth, but didn’t score any runs. Oral Roberts went down in order in the bottom half of the frame. In the top of the ninth, the Huskers went down 1-2-3.

Junior right-hander Mike Waldron made his second start of the season and threw 1.1 innings. Andrew Abrahamowicz (2.2 innings), Byron Hood (1.0), Keegan Watson (1.2), Matt Waldron (0.1) and Mitch Steinhoff (1.0) each made relief appearances.

The Huskers and Golden Eagles square off Wednesday at J.L. Johnson Stadium, starting at 1 p.m. (CT).