Nebraska baseball grinds out its first win, 5-4 over South Alabama
Although it wasn’t pretty, the Nebraska baseball team (1-3-1) trotted off the field on Friday victorious for the first time of the season. A 5-4 win over South Alabama (4-2) gave NU what it felt was much needed. A win.
The Huskers dealt three straight hitless innings to end the game, something they hadn’t done this season.
Recap
Emmett Olson got the start on the mound for this Nebraska baseball team and started out strong. The junior dealt a quick 1-2-3 first inning to set the tone, and the Husker offense answered. In the top of the second inning, Garrett Anglim hit a solo shot to left center field that gave NU a 1-0 lead.
However, in the bottom half of the second inning, the Big Red defense recorded a crucial error with two outs. Brice Matthews overthrew a ball to first base and put a runner in scoring position. Olson hit the next batter and a single from JG Bell gave South Alabama a 2-1 lead.
Once again, the Nebraska offense responded. In the top of the third inning, Max Anderson followed up Casey Burnham’s double with a base hit and drove in a run to tie the game. Ben Columbus then put the ball in play with runners in scoring position, and NU led 3-2.
In the top of the fifth, Columbus did the same thing again with runners in scoring position and made the game 4-2 in favor of the Big Red. USA quickly traded a run with Nebraska after a solo shot from Colson Lawrence. Ben Columbus earned his third RBI when a pitch plunked him with the bases loaded.
Shay Schanaman took the ball from Emmett Olson in the bottom of the sixth inning. The junior starter went a total of five and one-third innings, allowing just two earned runs on two hits. The second earned run against Olson came after his day was over when a batter he walked scored on a wild pitch.
Jalen Worthley made a cameo after Schanaman worked two and a third innings. The freshman earned just one out, but it was an important one. With the bases loaded, Worthley retired the side in the eighth inning and kept the Huskers in front.
Kyle Perry took over from there and the fifth-year senior earned the first save of his career as he closed this game out.
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“We didn’t play a perfect ballgame, but we were gritty. We were really, really tough tonight.”
–Nebraska head coach Will Bolt on the Huskers Radio Network
The bullpen pulled it together
The Big Red pitching staff has been less than impressive out of the bullpen this season. However, the story in this game was different. In three and two-thirds innings from the Husker bullpen, they allowed no hits and no earned runs.
Shay Schanaman was the first out of the pen and he looked shaky off the jump. The righty hit two of the first three batters he faced. A wild pitch then a brought home the man that Emmett Olson had walked. However, following this, Schanaman looked sharp. He made quick work of the three batter he faced in the seventh inning.
In the eighth, with two outs and two South Alabama players on base, Jalen Worthley stepped up on the hill. The freshman walked the first batter he faced, but stepped up and retired the next batter.
After an opening weekend with bullpen struggles galore, NU’s pen pulled through in this one.
Smart, situational baseball from Columbus and the offense
Nebraska’s offense was not firing on all cylinders against the Jaguars, but they did the job.
Ben Columbus was a big part of that, even though he didn’t register a hit. The junior was in three different situations with runners in scoring position. All three times he got someone home.
In his second at-bat, Columbus saw a runner on third base. He drove a ball to the second baseman and that allowed for the run to score. Two innings later, he was in an almost identical situation. Once again, he drove in a run with a ground out. Finally, with the bases loaded, the junior took a pitch to the back and scored his third RBI of the night.
None of Columbus’ RBIs were pretty, but it was enough to get NU over the edge.
What’s next?
Nebraska will face off against South Alabama two more times this weekend. Saturday’s first pitch is at 2:00 p.m. CST, and Sunday’s is at 1:00 p.m. CST.
Both games can be streamed on ESPN+ and heard on the Huskers Radio Network.
