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Despite Katskee's gritty start, Nebraska baseball falls to Oregon 5-4

by: Sam Ojeda04/12/26SamOjeda8

Will Bolt emptied the chamber Sunday afternoon, but No. 19 Nebraska baseball fell just short of a marquee road series win, dropping a 5-4 decision to No. 21 Oregon at PK Park.

The finale was defined by a chippy atmosphere that mirrored the intensity of the entire weekend. In a contest marked by cleared benches and a mid-game scuffle, the Ducks proved resilient enough to hold off a late Husker charge. Nebraska threatened in the ninth, but was unable to manufacture the tying run to extend the game.

Cooper Katskee navigated a normally problematic first inning to turn in a competitive start. Katskee tossed 5 1/3 innings, striking out six and allowing four runs before handing the ball to the bullpen. The relief unit kept the Big Red within striking distance, anchored by 2 1/3 scoreless innings from Gavin Blachowicz, the former Sunday starter who stabilized the game during the high-leverage middle frames.

Case Sanderson continued his torrid weekend at the plate, launching his third home run of the season to provide early fireworks. Rhett Stokes and Jeter Worthley also turned in multi-hit performances, though the efforts weren’t enough to overcome the Ducks’ three-run sixth inning.

Here is the instant recap from the series-deciding loss in Eugene….

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Bats on both sides strike early

The Huskers struck first in the opening frame when Sanderson unloaded on a solo home run, a necessary jolt against Oregon starter Cal Scolari. Entering the day with 46 strikeouts in just 32 innings, Scolari showcased the elite arsenal that has made him nearly unhittable this season. The right-hander peppered the zone with a mid-to-high 90s fastball and a devastating slider that left Husker hitters guessing, though the early long ball proved he wasn’t invincible.

The Ducks responded with their own power display off of Katskee in the second inning to briefly seize the momentum. After Drew Smith doubled, Angel Laya launched a two-run home run to flip the score in favor of Oregon. The damage likely would have been more severe if not for Mac Moyer, who made a sensational leaping catch at the wall to rob Burke-Lee Mabeus of a home run to keep it at 2-1.

Katskee, the Big Red’s veteran starter settled in by leaning on a sharp curveball that kept the Ducks’ hitters off-balance. While Katskee’s command wavered briefly in the third with back-to-back walks, his ability to locate his breaking ball in high-leverage counts proved decisive.

The offensive surge came in the top of the third, fueled by a crafty infield single on a bad hop from Stokes and a walk to Moyer. Worthley delivered the inning’s biggest blow, lining a two-run double to deep left-center that allowed a sliding Moyer to beat the tag at the plate. Sanderson followed with an RBI single, capping a three-run outburst that reclaimed the lead after three innings.

Oregon gets to Nebraska staff in the middle innings

The middle innings saw a dramatic shift in momentum, beginning with a significant blow to the Oregon rotation. Scolari, who had been dominant despite the early Husker home runs, was forced to exit the game in the fourth inning with an apparent injury. The Ducks turned to Tanner Bradley, who stabilized the situation by keeping the Huskers hitless through the fifth and sixth frames, despite allowing Jett Buck to reach third base following a throwing error.

While the Ducks managed their pitching crisis, Katskee continued to cruise through the Oregon lineup. He looked untouchable in the fifth, needing only six pitches to retire the side in order and maintain the two-run cushion. However, the senior’s efficiency began to waver in the sixth after Angel Laya connected for his second home run of the afternoon to bring it within one.

NU struggled to respond as the game grew increasingly physical. Dylan Carey remained in the game despite visible pain from a foul ball off his leg in the fifth, but the Husker bats went cold against Bradley. After failing to capitalize on Buck’s leadoff reaching third base in the sixth, the Big Red needed the bullpen to come through, even though it has struggled all season.

Following the Laya home run and a single by Maddox Molony, the Big Red opted for the bullpen, but the move failed to calm the tide. Grant Cleavinger surrendered an RBI double to Burke-Lee Mabeus before Blachowicz inherited a chaotic situation. Though Carey managed to help execute a rundown to nab Mabeus at the plate, a wild pitch and a clutch RBI single from Jack Brooks allowed the Ducks to surge ahead 5-4 after six.

Huskers can’t find the clutch hit late

The tension at PK Park reached a boiling point in the top of the seventh after Stokes drew a leadoff walk. When Moyer grounded into a 6-4-3 double play, an exchange at second base caused both benches to clear, momentarily halting the game. While the Huskers remained on the top step, Oregon’s Naulivou Lauaki and several other Ducks spilled onto the field, though the officiating crew opted for warnings rather than ejections.

Nebraska nearly extended the frame when a groundout by Worthley was overturned to safe upon review, but Sanderson grounded out shortly after to leave the runner stranded. Blachowicz locked it down in the bottom half to keep it one-run game into the eighth.

Will Jesske pinch-hit in the top half for Miken Miller, lacing a ball to the second baseman. He booted the ball as Jesske, who has been dealing with a constant hamstring injury, hobbled to first base for an infield single. The bats were not able to get him across.

The combination of Blachowicz and Tucker Timmerman worked a scoreless bottom of the eighth. The Huskers have been clutch all season in late-game situations but were unable to use that same magic to pull it off on Sunday. The Huskers stranded Stokes at second base to end it.

The Huskers return to the diamond on Tuesday when they host Creighton on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m.

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