In what was expected to be a low scoring contest, Nebraska lost a tightly contested high scoring affair to the Iowa Hawkeyes 7-6 in ten innings.
Iowa used three home runs on the night to score six of their runs. In the first inning Big Ten home run leader Jake Adams hit his league leading 14th long ball of the season after Nebraska starter Jake Hohensee had set down the first two batters.
After squandering a chance in the first, Nebraska pulled even in the second. Hawkeye starter Nick Gallagher who had not given up a run in his past three starts allowed a leadoff double to Luis Alvarado who would score on a wild pitch and a passed ball.
After pulling even, the Huskers would surrender the lead. Mitchell Boe singled to lead off the inning and scored when Chris Whelan took Hohensee deep to left.
Gallagher would fall apart in the fourth inning as the Huskers scored four times to take a 5-3 lead. Ben Miller singled and looked to be forced out when Luke Roskam hit a groundball to the shortstop that looked to be an inning ending double play. Mason McCoy booted the ball allowing Roskam to reach and the inning to continue.
After Roskam reached, four straight Huskers would walk. Jesse Wilkening, Jake Schleppenbach, Mojo Hagge, and Angelo Altavilla all received free passes to force in three runs for the Huskers. Scott Schreiber came through with a single off of relief pitcher Zach Daniels to add another tally.
Hohensee got a shut down inning in the top of the fifth, and Nebraska added another tally in the bottom half of the inning. Alvarado singled to start the inning and scored on a Schleppenbach double. Nebraska had the bases loaded with just one out after Hagge drew his third walk of the night, but could do no more damage.
Iowa tied the game in the sixth inning when Robert Neustrom and Ben Norman singled and scored on three run blast from Tyler Cropley. After another single, Ted Silva would make the call to the pen and get Robbie Palkert to relieve Hohensee. Palkert would retire the final two batters to keep it a tie game.
In the eighth, the Huskers would turn to Chad Luensmann who worked scoreless eighth and ninth innings.
While the Husker bullpen was finding a way to keep the game tied, the Husker offense continued to strand runners. In the eighth the Huskers stranded a pair of runners when Roskam struck out looking to end the threat.
After Luensmann stranded the bases loaded in the top half of the ninth, the Huskers would go quietly.
Iowa retook the lead for the first time since the third inning in the tenth. Luensmann would hit Cropley to start the inning. After a sacrifice bunt and a groundout, a two out single from Boe gave the Hawkeyes the lead.
Nebraska would put the tying run on base with two outs in the bottom of the tenth. Schreiber battled to get on base with a walk to bring up Miller. Miller would fall behind 0-2 and struck out looking to end the game.
Nebraska gave away a golden opportunity and loses ground in the Big Ten race with the loss. The Huskers will look to bounce back tomorrow as they host the Hawkeyes at 6:05 for game two of the series.