No. 24 Nebraska baseball clinches another conference series with win over Indiana on Saturday
No. 24 Nebraska baseball (21-6, 7-1) clinched the series over Indiana (10-16, 3-8) with its 12-7 win on Saturday at Haymarket Park in a game that featured 27 free passes across both teams.
Carson Jasa (5-1, 4.20 ERA) delivered another solid performance from the bump. The sophomore righty tossed 5 2/3 innings, tying his career-high by striking out 10 Hoosiers. Saturday marked his fourth consecutive start of tossing five-plus innings.
However, Jasa’s solid outing took an asterisk after allowing a two-out three-run nuke in the top of the sixth to cut Nebraska’s lead to two, 5-3. And his five walks surrendered were not ideal. Still, the Saturday starter gave NU enough to leave the game with the lead.
Offensively, true freshman catcher Jeter Worthley provided the spark for the Huskers with his two-out RBI single in the seventh — the first of seven runs that frame.
“All it takes is a spark, and Jeter sparked with a two-out RBI,” head coach Will Bolt said postgame. “Then it was on from there, and it turned into a seven-spot. Really proud about how hard the guys fought.”
Moments later, senior shortstop Dylan Carey blew the Big Red lead wide open with his no-doubt three-run bomb to left field to give NU a 10-4 lead. Carey finished with a game-high five RBI off just one hit.
“Is that what it was? Wow, that’s insane,” Carey said of his five-RBI performance off only one hit.
Here is an instant recap from the NU series-clinching win…
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Indiana hands Nebraska free passes
Indiana starter Tony Neubeck handed Nebraska six free passes in his 3 2/3 innings from the bump. The Big Red took advantage of the Hoosier lefty’s lack of communication. In fact, NU only recorded five hits to plate its first five runs through four innings.
The only RBI base-knock came from first baseman Case Sanderson’s RBI single in the bottom of the fourth. Carey picked up his first two RBI with two walks drawn.
Those free pass issues from Indiana carried to the sixth. After center fielder Mac Moyer reached on an infield single, Worthley and Sanderson reached off IU’s seventh and eighth free passes.
However, even with the bases loaded and no outs, the Huskers couldn’t cash in. Instead of getting a ball in play, back-to-back strikeouts from Carey and pinch-hitting Miken Miller failed to seize the opportunity.
Nebraska left 10 runners on base through six innings.
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After another two walks gifted to Nebraska’s offense, and two down, Worthley sparked the Big Red with an RBI single to left field. Moments later, Carey obliterated that no-doubt three-run nuke to left field to essentially ice the Husker win.
True freshman right fielder Drew Grego joined the RBI party with a two-RBI single to cap the seven-run frame.
“We set up innings in the fifth and sixth and did not knock them down,” Bolt said. “Obviously, the sixth was disappointing because we had the bases loaded and we couldn’t score. But this group is mature…
“And they’re together, they’re committed, and they trust one another, and they understand that you’re not going to score every inning.”
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Bullpen once again struggles
Meanwhile, Nebraska’s bullpen once again struggled from the bump.
After Jasa surrendered the three-run homer off Indiana pinch-hitter Owen Ten Oever, lefty Chase Olson recorded the final out in the sixth thanks to Grego’s full-extension snag in right field. As Olson took the seventh, he only recorded one out and walked two Hoosiers.
Righty Ryan Harrahill walked another two IU batters to cut the NU lead to one, 5-4. However, he forced a groundout to strand the bases loaded.
In the eighth, Jace Ziola and Braxton Stewart’s lack of command contributed to the Hoosiers walking in two runs without recording a hit. With only one down and the bases loaded, Pryce Bender went into full damage control mode. The sophomore righty got the Big Red out of the frame by getting the final two outs.
Bender secured the Husker win by delivering the final three outs in the ninth.
Nebraska returns to the ball diamond and looks for the series sweep on Sunday in the finale against Indiana at noon CT. It may be seen on B1G+ or heard on the Huskers Radio Network.
Righty Cooper Katskee will make his first weekend start for the Big Red.
