Huskers Down Nebraska-Omaha

Lincoln -- Nebraska took advantage of six Nebraska-Omaha errors and 10 walks as the Huskers cruised to an 18-2 victory over the Mavericks in NU's home opener Tuesday afternoon at Buck Beltzer Stadium.

Head Coach Dave Van Horn said the game gave him an opportunity to play a number of players.

"This was a good game for us," Van Horn said. "It gave us a chance to get our pre-game routine down at home and give several of our young guys a chance to pitch. That's not the kind of stuff you want to be worrying about when you play a Big 12 team at home."

Nebraska, 8-5, scored their first two runs in the third inning after starting off the inning with a pair of walks from Justin Cowan and Matt Hopper. After advancing on a sacrifice bunt from Dan Wright, Brandt Vlieger grounded out third base to score Cowan. Senior Jim Bailey hit a triple, his second of the season, to right center field to drive in Hopper.

Nebraska-Omaha, which fell to 1-6, tied the game in the fourth inning when Eric Gordon hit a two-run home run off junior Brandon Penas. But the Huskers answered with four unearned runs in the fifth to pull ahead for good. The Huskers used hits from Cowan and Wright in the inning and capitalized on two UNO errors to plate the go-ahead runs. In all, only five of NU's 13 runs were earned.

Andy Bent earned the win for the Huskers after holding the Mavs hitless and scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings. No Husker pitcher threw more than two innings on the day. Starter R.D. Spiehs struck out five of the six batters he faced and did not allow a hit. Left-handed pitcher Scott Fries returned to action after missing the past three weeks with a broken foot. He threw two scoreless innings, striking out three Mavs and giving up two hits.

Vlieger, who moved from third base to shortstop for injured Will Bolt, went 2-for-5 and had a career-high five RBI. Cowan went 2-for-4, scoring three runs and three RBI. He also drew two walks.

UNO's Terry Kapoun, 0-2, was charged with the loss after surrendering four hits, four walks and eight runs in five innings of action.

The Huskers return to the road for a five-game road trip beginning with a three-game series at Kansas State and concluding with a two-game series at Arkansas in Fayetteville.