Nebraska falls to UCLA in series opener, 5-2
The Nebraska baseball team dropped the opening game of its series against UCLA on Friday night, falling 5-2 after a late Bruins rally.
The game was tied 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh when UCLA delivered the decisive blow. Nebraska (7-9, 1-3) had just evened the score in the top of the sixth on a two-out, two-run homer by Tyler Stone. However, in the bottom half of the seventh, starter Will Walsh ran into trouble.
Walsh, who had been in control for most of the night, surrendered three runs on two hits and an error before being pulled. Reliever Drew Christo entered with two runners on and no outs but was unable to escape the jam. A sacrifice fly to right, a single to right, and a passed ball allowed the Bruins (14-4, 3-1) to plate three runs, putting Nebraska in a hole it couldn’t climb out of.
Walsh finished the night with 6.1 innings pitched, allowing four earned runs while striking out six.
Husker offense struggles again
Despite tallying eight hits, Nebraska’s offense failed to capitalize on key opportunities. The Huskers had back-to-back leadoff doubles in both the fourth and fifth innings but stranded both runners. In the fifth, Case Sanderson drew a walk to load the bases, but Max Buettenback was unable to drive in any runs.
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Cayden Brumbaugh continues to be the most consistent bat in the lineup, going 2-for-4 with a double. He is now hitting .343 on the season. However, beyond freshman Devin Nunez, who is batting over .250, the rest of Nebraska’s regulars continue to struggle at the plate.
Christo had another tough outing in relief, recording just two outs while allowing one earned run on one hit and two walks. Caleb Clark took over in the eighth and delivered a quick, three-up, three-down inning, a sign that Nebraska’s bullpen depth may be improving.
Still, the Huskers must find a way to get their offense going, as their struggles at the plate are becoming a growing concern.
Nebraska looks to bounce back in Game 2 of the series on Saturday at 4 p.m. CT. Sophomore right-hander Ty Horn will take the mound as the Huskers aim to improve their early-season Big Ten record, which now stands at 1-3. The game will once again be streamed on Big Ten Plus.
