Nine-Run Spartan Seventh Dooms Huskers in Loss

Note: The second game of today’s doubleheader has been canceled due to cold weather

East Lansing, Mich. – The Nebraska baseball team (14-15, 2-5 Big Ten) fell to Michigan State, 17-5, at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field on Saturday afternoon.

Senior right-hander Luis Alvarado, who made his eighth start of the season, and threw 4.0 innings and recorded five strikeouts. Mike Waldron (2.0 innings), Byron Hood (0.1) and Ethan Frazier (1.2) each made relief appearances for the Huskers.

Scott Schreiber extended his hitting streak to eight games with a single in the opening frame. Jesse Wilkening walked in the following at-bat and they advanced to second and third on a groundout. The two Huskers remained stranded after a groundout ended the inning. The Spartans scored five runs in the bottom of the first on three hits, while NU committed two errors.

The Huskers went down in order in the top of the second. MSU had one baserunner in the bottom of the second on a hit-by-pitch, but didn’t extend its lead.

NU scored a run in the top of the third to cut the MSU lead to 5-1. Nolan Hakel drew a leadoff walk before Mojo Hagge reached on a fielder’s choice. Wilkening singled to drive in Hagge before a strikeout ended the inning. Michigan State got runners on second and third with one out, but a pair of groundouts ended the inning.

Zac Repinski hit a leadoff single in the fourth, as NU managed a pair of baserunners, but left both on base. The Spartans went down in order in the bottom of the fourth.

Nebraska scored three runs in the top of the fifth to cut the lead to 5-4. Hagge, Schreiber and Wilkening reached on singles as the first three batters in the inning. Repinski reached on a fielder’s choice before Jaxon Hallmark walked to load the bases. Ben Klenke hit a two-RBI single to drive in Schreiber and Repinski. NU left runners on second and third. Michigan State scored one run in the fifth to extend its lead to 6-4, doing all of its damage with two outs.

The Huskers went down in order in the top of the sixth. Waldron retired all three Spartans in the bottom of the sixth, forcing three flyouts.

Wilkening reached on an error in the leadoff spot, but MSU struck out the side to hold NU scoreless in the seventh. MSU scored nine runs on six hits with two errors on Nebraska in the bottom of the seventh. The big inning extended the Spartans’ lead to 15-4.

Klenke drew a leadoff walk in the eighth, but three consecutive outs ended the inning. MSU added two runs in the eighth on one hit and one error to build a 17-4 lead.

In the top of the ninth, Schreiber smashed a solo shot to right field, marking his 10th home run of the season and 36th of his career to put him in a tie for seventh on Nebraska’s career home runs list with Paul Meyers. Schreiber has homered in four consecutive games. Gunner Hellstrom singled and Roskam doubled to get runners on second and third, but three straight strikeouts ended the game.

The Huskers and Spartans conclude their series with one game on Sunday at 10 a.m. (CT).