Series Sweep Eludes Huskers

Nebraska won the weekend series but couldn’t complete the sweep, as the Huskers fell 7-5 in the series finale against Rutgers at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park on Sunday afternoon.

Nebraska (14-18, 4-8 Big Ten) scored five runs on nine hits and an error, while Rutgers (15-17, 5-7 Big Ten) totaled seven runs, 15 hits and three errors.

Tyler Stone led the Big Red at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run scored. Cayden Brumbaugh, Case Sanderson and Joshua Overbeek had a two-hit afternoon, while Cael Frost tallied a hit.

Jackson Brockett dropped to 0-3 on the season, allowing three runs on seven hits with two strikeouts in 4.1 innings. Gavin Blachowicz allowed one run on two hits in two outs, while Caleb Clark gave up an unearned run in 1.1 innings on two hits.

Drew Christo tossed 1.2 innings, allowing two runs on four hits, while Luke Broderick worked a perfect ninth inning with two punchouts.

Rutgers plated the first run of the game with a trio of hits in the top of the third inning. The Scarlet Knights had runs on first and second with two outs after an infield single to third base. Rutgers broke the scoreless deadlock with an RBI single placed down the left-field line to make it a 1-0 game.

The Huskers capitalized on a leadoff walk in the bottom of the fourth to even the game at one. Stone worked a full-count walk to open the frame and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Dylan Carey. A groundout to second advanced Stone to third base, while an RBI single through the right side from Frost tied the game at one through four innings.

Rutgers responded with three runs behind three hits in the top of the fifth inning to grab a 4-1 advantage. The Scarlet Knights led off the inning with a single and a double to the wall in right-center field to take a 2-1 lead with no outs. Rutgers tacked on two more runs with a sacrifice fly, followed by a two-out RBI double after a walk.

Brumbaugh began the bottom of the sixth with a single to center, while Stone’s RBI double down the left-field line brought home Brumbaugh from first base to bring the Huskers within 4-2 through six innings.

An infield single, joined with an errant throw had a runner on second base for the Scarlet Knights in the top of the seventh, while an RBI single to the left-center gap gave the visitors a 5-2 lead going into the seventh-inning stretch.

Nebraska responded with two runs on three hits and a pair of errors to climb back within a run. Overbeek reached on a one-out bunt single, while a wild throw on the play advanced the senior to second base. Sanderson followed with an RBI single to center, scoring Overbeek from second and making it a 5-3 game.

Brumbaugh reached on a throwing error, while a second throwing error on the play moved Sanderson to third to put runners on first and third with two outs. Stone took advantage of the error, lacing a 1-0 pitch for an RBI single through the right side to bring the Huskers within 5-4 through seven innings.

Rutgers answered with two runs on three hits to expand its lead to 7-4 in the top of the eighth. A solo homer to begin the inning doubled the lead to 6-4, while an RBI single to right field after a double down the right-field line gave the Scarlet Knights a three-run advantage.

Devin Nunez reached on a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the eighth and scored from first base on Overbeek’s two-out RBI double off the wall in center field.

Broderick retired the Scarlet Knights in order in the top of the ninth to send a 7-5 game into the bottom of the ninth inning.

The Husker offense brought the tying run to the plate after Silva reached on a leadoff four-pitch walk, but the next three Huskers were sat down to preserve Rutgers’ 7-5 win on Sunday afternoon.

Nebraska steps out of conference play, as the Huskers venture to Lawrence, Kan., for a midweek visit to Kansas on Tuesday. First pitch between the Big Red and Jayhawks is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN+ at Hoglund Ballpark.