Huskers Smash Four Homers in Comeback Win

Lincoln, Neb. – Trailing 8-1 after the top of the second, Nebraska (21-23, 5-10 Big Ten) rallied past Maryland with 16 unanswered runs in a 17-8 win at Hawks Field on Saturday afternoon.

All 10 Huskers who went to the plate recorded at least one hit, with eight Huskers notching multi-hit performances. As a team, the Huskers had 20 hits and four home runs.

After allowing four runs in the top of the first, NU scratched out one run in the bottom of the opening frame on Scott Schreiber’s solo shot. It marked his 250th career hit to tie him for sixth in Husker history with Paul Meyers. It also marked his 43rd career home run, putting him in fifth place alone on NU’s list, one homer behind Alex Gordon in fourth place.

Maryland added four runs in the top of the second, but Nebraska answered back with three runs to make the score 8-4 after two innings. With the bases loaded and one out, Ben Klenke laced a two-RBI single to right field. A groundout in the following at-bat brought in Alex Henwood.

In the bottom of the third, NU scored one run to cut the Terrapin lead to 8-5. Jesse Wilkening hit a leadoff single before scoring on Luke Roskam’s RBI double. After a scoreless fourth inning for both teams, Nebraska scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth to cut the deficit to one run. Roskam’s sacrifice fly scored Schreiber after NU put runners on the corners with no outs. Gunner Hellstrom singled to advance Wilkening to third. Angelo Altavilla blistered an RBI double to bring in Wilkening.

Neither team scored in the sixth inning, but Nebraska took a 10-8 lead in the bottom of the seventh with three runs. Hellstrom hit a one-out single before Jaxon Hallmark blasted his first career home run down the left field line. Henwood was hit-by-pitch and stole second base before Carter Cross drove him in with an RBI single.

Nebraska scored seven runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to take a 17-8 advantage. NU’s first four batters reached when Hagge, Schreiber, Wilkening and Roskam each produced hits. Altavilla smashed a three-RBI home run, his third of the season. After Hallmark singled, Henwood obliterated his first career home run to right field.

After Luis Alvarado went 1.1 innings in the start, Nate Fisher allowed only one run in 3.2 innings of relief before Reece Eddins (2.0) and Jake Hohensee (2.0) held the Terrapins scoreless for the final four innings, allowing only three hits. Eddins picked up his first win of the season and Hohensee notched his team-high 10th save of the season.

The rubber match between Nebraska and Maryland is set for Sunday at 1:05 p.m. (CT).