Huskers Edged by Highlanders, 10-9

Riverside, Calif. – The Nebraska baseball team (1-1) fell behind 4-0 in the first inning but clawed back, scoring in each of the final five innings, before losing to UC Riverside, 10-9, in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday at the Riverside Sports Complex. Nebraska outhit UC Riverside, 15-12, but the Huskers left 15 runners on base.

Senior right-hander Reece Eddins, making his second career start and 47th overall appearance, went 3.2 innings and recorded three strikeouts. Max Schreiber (1.1 innings) and Mike Waldron (3.0) came in for relief.

In the top of the first, Spencer Schwellenbach drew a leadoff walk, but three consecutive outs left him stranded on third base. UC Riverside scored four runs on four hits in the bottom half of the opening frame. Each of the first four batters for the Highlanders singled and later scored. The next three batters were put out.

Luke Roskam reached on a leadoff walk in the top of the second before back-to-back strikeouts. Mike Addante and Alex Henwood produced NU’s first two hits of the game to bring in Nebraska’s first run. The two runners were left stranded after an inning-ending popup to keep the score a 4-1 UC Riverside lead. The Highlanders drew a leadoff walk, but a strikeout and double play ended the inning.

NU left two runners stranded in a scoreless third inning. Angelo Altavilla walked in the leadoff spot before Aaron Palensky hit a one-out single. But a flyout and strikeout ended the inning. UC Riverside went down in order in the bottom of the third as Eddins recorded one strikeout.

Addante hit a one-out single and stole second, but was left stranded after back-to-back flyouts in the top of the fourth. UC Riverside tallied three more runs in the fourth to build a 7-1 lead. Four of the first five Highlander batters reached with three singles and an error.

Nebraska scored two runs in the top of the fifth to cut the lead to 7-3. Altavilla hit a leadoff single and scored on Roskam’s RBI double. Cam Chick laced an RBI single to bring in Roskam before a flyout ended the frame. The Highlanders managed one hit in the bottom of the fifth, but three flyouts left him stranded.

The Huskers scored one run in the top of the sixth to trim the lead to 7-4. Addante was hit-by-pitch in the leadoff spot before advancing to second on a wild pitch and third on a passed ball. He scored on Henwood’s RBI double. Schwellenbach singled in the following spot, but the next three batters went down in order. UC Riverside scored one run to extend its lead to 8-4 in the bottom of the sixth.

NU added two runs in the top of the seventh to cut the score to 8-6. Chick drew a one-out walk before Hallmark singled. Addante walked and Schwellenbach reached on an error during the inning. Waldron retired all three Highlanders he faced in the bottom of the seventh.

Nebraska plated one run in the eighth to cut the lead to 8-7. Hagge drew a leadoff walk before Palensky doubled and Chick hit an RBI single. UC Riverside added two runs to build a 10-7 lead.

In the top of the ninth, Nebraska cut the lead to 10-9, but left the bases loaded when the final out was recorded. Henwood walked and scored, Schwellenbach started a string of three consecutive singles, along with Altavilla and Hagge. Roskam drew an intentional walk to load the bases before a groundout ended the game.

The Huskers and Highlanders begin the second game of their doubleheader at 6:30 p.m. (CT).