Nebraska baseball takes another RPI hit as weak offense leads to a 7-3 loss against Ohio State
No. 16 Nebraska dropped its second straight game to Ohio State on Saturday, falling 7-3 in a loss that puts a significant dent in their hopes of hosting an NCAA Regional.
Right-hander Gavin Blachowicz struggled out of the gate, surrendering three runs in the first inning to put the Huskers in an immediate hole. Despite the rocky start, he managed to settle in, providing 4 2/3 innings of work. Caleb Clark followed with a strong 1 1/3 innings of relief, allowing just one run and serving as a vital bridge to the late innings.
While Case Sanderson provided a spark with a two-hit night, the rest of the Nebraska lineup struggled. Despite only striking out once, the Huskers couldn’t find gaps in the defense, as the Buckeyes’ pitching staff kept them off-balance for the second night in a row.
The comeback attempt officially stalled in the eighth when Tucker Timmerman surrendered a two-run blast, extending the OSU lead to five and effectively ending any hope for a series-clinching rally.
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Another OSU starter stifles Nebraska again early
Through the first three innings in Columbus, Saturday felt like a repeat of the night before. Nebraska entered the series a perfect 7-0 in Big Ten Saturday games, but that streak looked in jeopardy early.
Blachowicz’s opening frame set a shaky tone. He struggled to find his release point from the jump, missing badly with fastballs to the first three hitters he faced. Those command issues led to deep counts and heavy traffic, forcing him to labor through a 35-pitch first inning. Ohio State took full advantage, punctuated by a bases-clearing triple from Mason Eckelman.
On the other side of the mound, Chris Domke utilized a heavy changeup mix to keep Nebraska from finding barrels. The Huskers managed to chip away in the third after Mac Moyer reached on an error and Jeter Worthley was hit by a pitch. Sanderson followed with an RBI single, though it was more of a situational hit than hard contact.
A persistent wind blowing toward right field added a layer of stress for both staffs, as routine fly balls carried much deeper than expected. The Buckeyes capitalized on those conditions in the bottom of the third, when Dane Harvey launched a solo shot to extend the lead.
Clark dominates in middle relief
Domke continued in his steady rhythm after Nu’s early third-inning push. He relied heavily on soft contact with five balls put in play all under 90 mph in exit velocity. Nebraska managed just one hit over the stretch, a single from Sanderson.
The wind continued to play a quiet role in shaping at-bats, but neither lineup was able to fully take advantage as the game tightened into a series of quick, low-impact innings. Both sides saw multiple 1-2-3 frames, with at-bats ending early and little pressure applied to either defense or bullpen usage during that stretch.
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Blachowicz’s departure after 4.2 innings left the Big Red in a stable but still uphill position. Clark entered and was dominant. He bridged well out of the bullpen with a clean fifth inning and followed it with another quick 1-2-3 frame in the sixth, helping keep NU in the game.
Through six innings, OSU maintained a 4-1 lead, with Domke continuing to manage contact effectively and the Huskers’ offense unable to string together anything beyond isolated baserunners. The game settled into a controlled pace, defined more by quick outs and execution than extended rallies.
Offense grumbles to the end as OSU pulls away
The back half of the game didn’t go NU’s way. They got off to a good start in the seventh due to a Jett Buck double and he came across on a rollover by Drew Grego. Clark’s strong day ended after he allowed a leadoff baserunner and Timmerman came on. The junior retired the first two hitters before allowing the fifth Buckeye run to came across on a single to make it 5-2 after seven.
Domke finally giving the Big Red some hope. The OSU Saturday starter only allowed five hits and two runs. Lincoln McVicker came on in relief and worked a clean eighth. OSU put the final seperation on the game with two runs in the bottom of the eighth. Timmerman allowed a single before Mason Eckelman launched a two-run home run to right field to make it 7-2 after eight.
The offense finally forced some pressure with three-straight walks to load the bases with three outs to go. Grego was plunked by the first pitch he saw to bring the Huskers within four. With two out, Moyer came to the plate as the tying run but Ohio State ended it by getting Moyer to fly out.
The Big Red will go after another win on Sunday. They will tackle the Buckeyes in Game 3 at 1 p.m. CST on BTN+.
