Houston, Texas -- The Nebraska baseball team took out some frustrations on Jacksonville State in a 15-3 win at the Marriott West Loop Invitational at Cameron Field on the campus of Rice University on Sunday afternoon.
After battling second-ranked Rice to the end on Saturday, the Husker bats took out some offensive frustration scoring 15 runs on 19 hits in a game that ended in the bottom of the seventh because of the 12-run rule. With the victory, Nebraska improves to 5-5 on the season while the game Gamecocks dropped to 1-4. Nebraska finished with a 2-1 at the Rice Tournament.
Jamal Strong, Justin Cowan and Brandt Vlieger each had three hits and Will Bolt, Adam Shabala and Jeff Hedman each had two hits apiece to lead the Husker attack. All three of Cowan's hits were doubles, making him just the ninth player in school history to have three doubles in a game. In the contest, 10 Huskers had at least one hit and 10 different players scored a run.
"I was pleased our offense came alive as well as it did today," NU Coach Dave Van Horn said. "We were frustrated following the loss to Rice and the team came out with a great attitude. To be 5-5 right now is a little disappointing, but a hit here or there and we could be 9-1 or 8-2 entering our home opener."
Besides the Huskers' offensive onslaught, freshman pitcher Steve Hale pitched six innings allowing just one earned run and scattering five hits. Hale picked up the first win of his young career after losing his first two decisions in two one-run losses against San Diego State and Lamar. Hale did not walk a batter and finished with seven strikeouts.
Leading 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Huskers scored three runs to extend their lead to 7-3. In the fifth, Danny Kimura walked with one out and scored on a triple by Bolt. Brian Johnson followed with an RBI-single and advanced to second on his second stolen base of the season. With two outs, Hedman ripped a single up the middle to make the score 7-3.
In the sixth inning, jumped on JSU reliever Michael Lindsey. Nebraska scored six runs on eight hits in the inning. The inning was highlighted by a two-run single by Brandt Vlieger, a two-run double by Craig Moore and RBI singles by Jim Bailey and Shabala.
Leading 13-3 in the seventh, Vlieger led the inning off with a single, Cowan followed with his second double of the game and Kimura hit a ball that was bobbled by JSU shortstop Joel Rivera that allowed the game-ending runs to score.
The Huskers will play their first games at home next weekend with a three-game series against Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Saturday, Feb. 20, and Sunday, Feb. 21 at Buck Beltzer Stadium.