Huskers Come Up Short against Lamar

Ruston, La. -- The Nebraska baseball team fell behind 6-1, but another Husker rally came up just short in an 8-7 loss to Lamar in the final game of the Bone & Joint Classic on Sunday at J.C. Love Field in Ruston, La.

Lamar jumped out to a 6-1 lead after three innings before Nebraska mounted a comeback attempt. The loss dropped the Huskers to 3-4 on the season after finishing the weekend 2-2 in Ruston. In all seven games this season, the Huskers have trailed at some point in the contest. NU is now 0-3 in one-run games in 1999. The Cardinals improved to 7-1 overall on the year with the win. It was the second consecutive day the Huskers lost to Lamar after also dropping a 17-8 decision to the Cardinals on Saturday.

In the second inning against Nebraska starter Shane Komine, Lamar scored three runs with two outs. With the bases loaded, Todd Myers singled home two runs and Chris Reda singled home another as the Huskers fell behind 3-0.

In the third, Nebraska broke through for a run when shortstop Brandt Vlieger singled home catcher Brian Johnson.

The big blow for Lamar came in the bottom of the third inning when David Geisbush hit a three-run homer to give the Cardinals a 6-1 advantage.

After allowing the home run to Geisbush, Komine settled down and kept the Huskers in the game. The freshman from Honolulu retired seven of the next eight batters he faced as the Huskers clawed back in the game.

In the fifth, Johnson hit a lead-off double and scored on a single by Adam Shabala. Shabala finished the game with three hits in four at bats. Shabala scored with two outs in the inning when Lamar shortstop Jimmy Smith bobbled a Justin Cowan ground ball as NU cut the deficit in half at 6-3.

Nebraska took its first lead of the game by scoring four runs in the top of the sixth inning. First baseman Ken Harvey led off the inning with a single and after a Danny Kimura ground out, freshman second baseman Will Bolt smacked his first career home run to left bringing the Huskers within 6-5. Johnson singled and stole second with one out. Junior Jim Bailey pinch hit for Erik Mumm and promptly gave the Huskers a 7-6 lead with a two-run pinch-hit home run over the right field fence.

Lamar tied the game when Smith hit a lead off home run in the bottom of the sixth.

Freshman Steve Hale relieved Komine in the seventh and gave up a home run to Lamar third baseman Wes Koch as Nebraska fell behind 8-7.

The Huskers threatened in the eighth with Shabala on third and Vlieger on first, but Cowan grounded into a force play to end the inning.

For the Cardinals, J.P. Igo pitched 3.2 innings, allowing only two hits to earn the victory. Hale (0-2) took the loss in two innings of relief.

The Huskers head south again next Friday to compete in the Marriott West Loop Invitational in Houston, Texas. Nebraska plays Nicholls State, Rice and Jacksonville State in the round-robin tournament at Rice.