Friday’s Nebraska-Minnesota series opener was a slugfest. Yet despite the untraditional game script and another off night for Brett Sears, the Huskers put together a stout offensive performance en route to a 10-7 win.
After the Gophers overcame an early five-run Nebraska lead, Dylan Carey gave the Huskers a major shot in the arm with a two-run bomb in the seventh. That capped a three-hit, three-RBI day for the sophomore shortstop. It’s Carey’s third three-hit showing of the year.
Will Bolt’s and company now own a 29-15 record and are 11-5 in Big Ten play. The Huskers outhit the Gophers 14-11.
“We found a way to fight is what we did,” Bolt said postgame on the Huskers Radio Network. “That was a true team effort.”
Here’s more on the victory as the Huskers held off a feisty Minnesota squad in Minneapolis.
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Minnesota drew first blood after a two-out error extended the home half of the first. That provided Josh Fitzgerald an opportunity to make Nebraska pay with a double to right. But, the Huskers countered with a two-out rally of their own in the next half inning with three straight singles by Cole Evans, Case Sanderson and Dylan Carey and tied the game at 1-1.
Then an inning later Nebraska pulled ahead 2-1 on a two-out Ben Columbus RBI single to center.
The Huskers capitalized on a host of Gopher miscues and posted a crooked number in the fifth. Nebraska plated four runs on four hits, a wild pitch, and two errors including one which was on a routine grounder into the outfield that went under Drew Berkland’s glove. All four runs were unearned. Ben Columbus and Case Sanderson collected RBIs on a sacrifice fly and a double to left respectively.
Yet, Nebraska’s 6-1 lead didn’t last.
Solo shots from Ike Mezzenga and Brady Counsell pulled the Gophers within three through five innings. Brett Sears walked the first two batters of the sixth and Minnesota made the Huskers pay. Jalen Worthley took over with two on and nobody out before doubles with one and two outs tied the game at 6-6.
Dylan Carey struck back for Nebraska in the top of the seventh with a two-run homer that made it 8-6. The Gophers answered with another blast in the home half and cut the deficit to a run.
Seeking insurance in the ninth, Josh Caron delivered a two-RBI single up the middle with the bases loaded. A 10-7 advantage was enough for Casey Daiss, who collected his fifth save of the season in two innings of work. The junior right-hander faced one batter over the minimum.
“No matter what, win or lose, you’ve got a job to do the next day,” Bolt said. “They used a lot of their high-leverage relievers. We did as well. I just like offensively what we saw offensively from our guys tonight. Aggressive, and we need more of that tomorrow against a good left-hander.”
Carey, Stokes highlight a odd day
If Carey and Stokes can perform at this level down the stretch, Nebraska is going to be in a great spot for the postseason.
The Husker middle infielders combined to go 6-for-9 and led NU bats with three hits each. Carey’s RBIs were the difference. He plated Nebraska’s first run and had the go-ahead in the late innings.
“Awfully proud of the bottom of the order today,” Bolt said. “Carey has been searching for a swing like that to get himself going with some confidence and he had a great night at the bottom of the order. Stokes’ day didn’t start great, but he finished it. He made some adjustments within the game, laid down a great bunt for us at the end.”
Meanwhile, Stokes was the star of the ninth. His bunt single set up Caron for his bases-loaded single and then later recorded the final out of the game. Stokes has six hits over his last three games.
“What a play to end it,” Bolt said. “We’ve seen him make a play like that with the game on the line before. There’s just some big, big heroic moments in that game where we made some defensive plays, some pitches and some big hits. It’s good to see us knock some innings down.”
While Nebraska has much more to lose than gain in terms RPI this weekend, Friday’s win is very significant for the conference standings. The victory moved the Huskers into a tie with Illinois for second place. Purdue leads the way at 12-4 and is a game ahead of the competition.
What’s next for Nebraska baseball?
Nebraska continues its series with Minnesota on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m. CT and RHP Mason McConnaughey (3.41 ERA) will make his seventh start of the season. The Golden Gophers are projected to send LHP Connor Wietgrefe (3.18 ERA) to the mound.
Sunday’s game begins at 1:00 p.m. CT and the pitching matchup will feature LHP Will Walsh (5.05 ERA) and an unannounced Minnesota starter.
Both games can be streamed on Big Ten Plus and heard on the Huskers Radio Network.
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