Surge in Eighth Lifts No. 25 Huskers on Senior Day

A three-run homer from Dylan Carey ignited a seven-run eighth inning in No. 25 Nebraska’s 15-11 victory against Iowa in front of a season-high crowd of 7,773 on Saturday afternoon at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park.

Saturday’s attendance of 7,773 ranks 22nd all-time in ballpark history and is the Huskers’ largest home crowd since 2008.

Nebraska (36-14, 19-7 Big Ten) scored 15 runs on 16 hits and one error, while Iowa (29-20, 12-14 Big Ten) tallied 11 runs on 13 hits.

Carey went 3-for-5 with a homer and three RBI. Will Jesske finished 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI. Trey Fikes came on in the eighth and went 2-for-2 with two RBI, and Jeter Worthley tripled and drove in a run on a 2-for-4 afternoon.

Mac Moyer had a 2-for-4 day with two runs scored, Drew Grego added two hits and an RBI, and Max Buettenback delivered a key pinch-hit RBI single in the eighth.

Ty Horn was solid through six innings, recording a quality start with two runs given up on four hits with six strikeouts. Cooper Katskee and Jalen Worthley each recorded an out, while J’Shawn Unger pitched an inning in relief. Colin Nowazyk improved to 1-1 on the season after recording the final out in the eighth, and Tucker Timmerman pitched a scoreless ninth to close it out.

Nebraska built a 7-0 lead through four innings. Jesske’s grand slam highlighted a four-run third, and Worthley’s RBI triple and a wild pitch accounted for two more in the fourth.

Solo home runs from the Hawkeyes in the fifth and sixth innings trimmed the Big Red’s lead to 7-2 through six innings.

Iowa battled back with four runs in the seventh and five more in the eighth to grab an 11-8 lead after erasing Nebraska’s seven-run lead.

Nebraska responded immediately with a massive seven-run eighth inning behind six hits to take back the lead at 15-11. Carey’s three-run homer into the batter’s eye in center field after singles from Moyer and Fikes locked the game at 11.

Buettenback ripped a pinch-hit RBI single up the middle to give the Huskers a 12-11 lead, while an RBI single from Moyer and a two-RBI single up the middle by Fikes stretched the lead to 15-11 to put the game away.

Timmerman worked around a one-out single in the top of the ninth to preserve Nebraska’s series-clinching 15-11 victory on Saturday afternoon.

Nebraska and Iowa conclude the series tomorrow afternoon at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. on BTN.