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Katskee, Unger lock it down in Nebraska baseball's 8-1 win over Wichita State

by: Sam Ojeda03/18/26SamOjeda8

Nebraska baseball (15-5, 3-0) took an early lead and never trailed in a 8-1 win over Wichita State (15-7, 0-0) in Wichita, Kansas

To no surprise, senior Cooper Katskee delivered another quality start. He threw five strong innings and allowed only one run. The Nebraska bullpen also answered the call. J’Shawn Unger entered with a four-run lead and the bases loaded. He struck out two Shockers to end the threat.

Jeter Worthley led the offense with three hits. The freshman served as a constant table-setter and scored two runs to spark the Huskers’ offense

Here is an instant recap from the Huskers first win of the week….

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Katskee buys time for the bats to chase Rogers

The game started as a typical low-scoring midweek game. Both starters carved their respective opponents one time through the lineup.

Shocker freshman Ethan Rogers made his second start of the season after getting roughed up by West Georgia his last time out. He worked two clean frames, facing the minimum and striking out two. Katskee also worked a clean first inning, facing three batters and retiring them in under 10 pitches.

Katskee needed to escape trouble in the bottom of the second inning. A single and a hit-by-pitch put traffic on the bases for the former MAC Pitcher of the Year. The senior then showed some grit by setting down the next three hitters. He fanned the No. 6 hole and then induced two balls in play to end the inning with the game knotted at 0-0.

The Huskers broke open a scoreless tie in the third inning by shelling Rogers for three runs on four hits. After back-to-back singles from Worthley and Mac Moyer, Jett Buck lined an RBI single to right to put the Huskers on the board. Dylan Carey followed with a walk to load the bases, setting the stage for Case Sanderson to lace a two-run single that extended the lead to 3-0. The offensive outburst forced the Shockers to go to the bullpen, bringing in Amar Tsengeg to record the final out of the frame.

Bullpen locks it down to grab game one

WSU finally got to Katskee, who ended up throwing five full innings, in the fourth inning after MJ Sweeney led off with a triple and scored on a Kaleb Duncan sacrifice fly. NU responded immediately in the top of the fifth, using a leadoff single from Worthley and an infield error to put a runner in scoring position. Buck then came through with his second RBI single of the night, driving in Moyer to push the Husker lead back to 4-1 after five.

The Nebraska bullpen provided two scoreless innings in the sixth and seventh to preserve the lead. Kevin Mannell navigated a two-on, one-out jam in the sixth by inducing a fielder’s choice to strand a pair of Shocker runners. Colin Nowaczyk followed with a dominant seventh, retiring the side in order on just a handful of pitches. This effective relief outing stifled Wichita State’s momentum and maintained the Huskers’ four-run cushion heading into the final frames.

The Huskers grabbed an extra insurance run in the seventh inning. Worthley grabbed his third hit of the day to set the table for a sacrifice bunt and an infield single to bring across NU’s fifth run of the game. The offense threatened again in the eighth inning with two runners on but Worthley punched out looking for the third out to end the threat.

The eighth inning proved to be the game’s defining moment. NU’s bullpen navigated a high-leverage, bases-loaded jam to maintain the lead. Unger entered with the tying run at the plate and nobody out. He struck out two consecutive batters to strand three runners and extinguish the threat. This clutch escape shifted the momentum entirely back to the Huskers.

The Huskers added a few insurance runs in the ninth inning when Sanderson drove in another run to make it 6-1. An infield hit by Devin Nunez forced an error on the first baseman which brought Sanderson around to make it a six-run game. They kept piling on when Drew Grego smacked a single into left field to score Nunez and solidify the game for NU.

Looking ahead, Katskee provides peace of mind

The Huskers’ have played 20 games, falling just below the season’s halfway point. However, the current rotation allows for a look ahead. Katskee recorded a quality start Tuesday, separating himself within a rotation that could lead the Big Ten. Katskee serves as a high-end fourth option, providing depth beyond what Will Bolt has previously had at his disposal.

Katskee worked deep for his fourth consecutive start while maintaining steady velocity. His fastball sat in the low 90s with more sink than usual. He paired an impressive 12-6 curveball with a strikeout-inducing changeup. This three-pitch mix solidifies his midweek role. Bolt and pitching coach Rob Childress have also used Katskee in long relief and closing situations. The versatility is apparent.

While the right-hander provides stability now, the postseason arrives quickly. Katskee’s role becomes crucial in the Big Ten Tournament, where teams need four or more starters. Nebraska will also require that rotation depth if the team reaches the NCAA Regionals.

Regional play spans multiple days. A team may play between three and six games in a single week. The Huskers could need a start from Katskee on a Thursday and relief on a Sunday. Katskee continues to prove he can dominate multiple times a week on short rest. He will likely appear in the upcoming weekend series against Michigan. That outing will provide another preview of how Katskee might anchor the staff in May and June.

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