Pitching settles in as Nebraska baseball secures Friday win over Rutgers

Nebraska baseball (13-17, 3-7) took care of Rutgers (14-16, 4-6) to open the weekend, nabbing its first Friday Big Ten win of the season, 8-5.

Will Walsh (3.76 ERA) had a sluggish start on the mound, allowing five runs on seven hits in the first two innings. But the left-hander settled in as the game wore on. He retired nine of the next 11 batters and bought Nebraska’s bullpen time, lasting five frames.

“Honestly, [Walsh] has had some pretty incredible outings for us. That may have been one of the biggest ones he’s ever had,” head coach Will Bolt said postgame.

A 2-RBI single from Riley Silva broke a tie in the fifth, and the Husker relievers kept Rutgers off the scoreboard for the rest of the night.

Here is a recap of the victory:

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Walsh struggles out of the gate

Through two innings, Nebraska appeared due for another shaky outing on the mound. Rutgers’ first two batters reached before Walsh gave up a pair of RBI singles and the Scarlet Knights took an early 2-0 lead. The left-hander threw 26 pitches in the first frame as multiple questionable non-strike calls cost him.

But after a hot start, Rutgers was held scoreless over the final seven innings.

Walsh retired nine of the next 11 batters with two strikeouts and an impressive unassisted putout. He finished the night credited with nine hits and five runs but bought Nebraska’s bullpen plenty of time.

“They’re all over him in the first two innings and him getting zeros after that? Let alone getting us to the sixth inning, I mean just an amazing job by him,” Bolt said.

Drew Christo relieved Walsh in the sixth and struck out the first two batters he faced. Rutgers loaded the bases with a two-out single and an intentional walk, but Christo escaped the jam, stranding all three.

The right-hander retired the side in order in the seventh and recorded two outs in the eighth before being pulled. The one-two punch of Walsh and Christo paid dividends on Friday for the second straight weekend.

“The fastball command has gotten better,” Bolt said of Christo. “He’s got great finish on the fastball. He’s got a swing and miss pitch with a curveball, so yeah, he’s just been on attack. Very determined.”

Husker bats respond in a big way

Slow starts have come back to bite Nebraska far too often this season. That was not the case on Friday.

In the bottom of the first, Case Sanderson hit a leadoff single before Tyler Stone walked to load the bases with one out. Dylan Carey cashed in with a 2-RBI single to tie the game.

“The mindset flip is really what needed to happen more than anything,” Bolt said of Nebraska’s hitting. “We just have really been working hard at that part of it. The mindset. The psychology of the game.”

After Max Buettenback dribbled an infield single past the pitcher to load the bases again, Cael Frost smacked an RBI single to left. Hogan Helligso joined in on the fun with a 2-RBI single of his own to give Nebraska a 5-2 lead.

“This game is very mental,” Bolt said. “Just doing some different things to get some offense ignited, maybe controlling a few more at-bats at times, I think it’s paid off with getting leadoff hitters on base but guys are just playing with confidence.”

Back-to-back groundouts left the bases loaded, but Rutgers starting pitcher Justin Shadek faced 11 Husker batters while racking up his pitch count. Nebraska recorded six hits in the first inning.

Two-out contrast in the second inning

In the second frame, both teams faced two outs with nobody on. The result was much different, however.

Walsh quickly retired the first two Scarlet Knights but walked the following batter on four pitches. Ty Doucette made him pay with a 2-run blast that snuck over the right field wall and Frost’s outstretched glove.

A double to the left-center gap and an RBI single from Jack Sweeney tied the game once again, 5-5.

Cayden Brumbaugh singled to lead off the bottom of the second, but Stone grounded into a double play. With two outs, Shadek began to lose command as his pitch count increased. He hit back-to-back Huskers and walked another to load the bases. Helligso failed to capitalize this time, however, striking out swinging.

Shadek gave up seven hits and five runs in just two innings of work, but he escaped two bases-loaded jams to keep Rutgers in the game.

Silva’s hot streak continues

Silva continues to deliver for Nebraska while hitting out of the 2-hole

Helligso walked to lead off the fifth inning before Sanderson doubled down the left-field line with one out. Silva cashed in with a 2-RBI single through the left side, giving the Huskers a 7-5 lead. Though Nebraska added an insurance run in the eighth, Silva’s clutch hit ultimately made the difference.

“I’m really proud of the job that [Silva] has done,” Bolt said. “He worked really hard this offseason. I know it didn’t show up early for him, it was a little frustrating at times, but he just stayed in the fight and we need him up there at the top of the order.”

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