Grego bails out the bullpen in Nebraska baseball's 6-5 walk-off win over Maine
Nebraska baseball (12-5) needed every pitch to secure a walk-off victory in the series opener against Maine (2-14) 6-5.
Ty Horn gave the Huskers 5 1/3 innings filled with six strikeouts while he allowed four walks. Despite Horn doing his job, the bullpen collapsed in the ninth inning and allowed the Black Bears to grab a late two-run lead
Drew Grego then played hero with a walk-off single when the Huskers stormed back to score three runs in the ninth inning.
Here is an instant recap from Nebraska’s series-opening victory….
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One swing keeps the Black Bears ahead early
The Huskers’ offense has struggled to find a rhythm against Jason Krieger, whose movement kept the Husker bats off-balance. After jumping ahead in the first on a Case Sanderson RBI single, the Big Red went quiet, failing to capitalize on the momentum.
Horn opened the night in dominant fashion, striking out the side in the first and retiring six straight. However, that efficiency vanished in the third inning after a two-out walk to Brody Rasmussen. Quinn Murphy made Horn pay, launching a two-run home run to right field that flipped the score and handed Maine a 2-1 lead, providing the Black Bears with their first signs of life against the power conference opponent.
NU had prime opportunities to answer back, stranding five runners over the third and fourth innings. The most frustrating sequence came in the fourth when the Big Red loaded the bases behind a Cole Kitchens single and two walks. The threat ended on a flyout to center, highlighting a recurring theme of missed chances against the Maine starter.
Despite the narrow deficit, Horn has battled to keep Huskers within striking distance. He navigated a self-inflicted jam in the fourth, walking three batters but escaping unscathed on a fielder’s choice. After working around an infield single in the fifth, Horn has kept the damage to just two runs, shifting the pressure back to a Husker offense that needs to find a way to solve Krieger.
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Grego plays hero following a bullpen disaster
NU leveled the score in the sixth inning after Grego led off with a single and Rhett Stokes drew a walk. Jeter Worthley moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, which allowed Mac Moyer to drive in Grego on a groundout to second base to knot the game at two after six.
The Black Bears reclaimed a one-run lead in the seventh despite not recording a hit. After a leadoff walk and a stolen base, Quinn Murphy reached on a fielder’s choice that allowed Christopher Mondesir to score. Kevin Mannellentered in relief and limited the damage to just the one run, but the Husker bats remained quiet in the bottom half.
The Huskers manufactured some late-inning drama to pull even in the eighth. Grego ignited the Haymarket crowd by tattooing a triple into the gap, putting the tying run just ninety feet away. Worthley then traded an out for a run, beating out a fielder’s choice that allowed Grego to trot home. The threat ended on a bizarre note, as Joshua Overbeek strikeout was upheld after a video review determined he leaned into a pitch, sending a 3-3 deadlock into the final frame.
Maine surged back into the lead in the ninth, using a leadoff single and double to put immediate pressure on J’Shawn Unger. A bases-loaded walk to Juju Stevens forced in the go-ahead run, followed quickly by a wild pitch that allowed Rasmussen to cross the plate. Though Unger retired the next three batters to prevent further damage, the Huskers headed to the bottom of the ninth facing a two-run deficit.
Haymarket Park exploded in the ninth as the Huskers staged a breathtaking three-run rally to snatch a victory. After the first two runners reached, Devin Nunez played the hero by lining a clutch two-RBI single to pull Nebraska even. With one out, Grego capped his monster day by smacking a walk-off single into the outfield, sending his teammates pouring onto the field to celebrate a gritty 6-5 comeback win.
