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Behind sophomore Derek Burkamper, the Nebraska baseball team defeated the Loyola Marymount Lions 5-1. Burkamper pitched seven strong innings, while Blake Headley led the offense with a pair of hits and three runners batted in.
The Huskers jumped on freshman Tylor Megill early Sunday afternoon. Jake Schleppenbach led the game off with a base hit. Fellow freshman Scott Schreiber reached on an error by Megill, advancing Schleppenbach to third. Schleppenbach and Schreiber would advance on a wild pitch, putting the Huskers up 1-0 early. Headley would then score Schreiber on a single to put a pair on the board for the Huskers.
Loyola Marymount would come back in the second to plate a run. Tanner Donnels would lead off the inning with a double, and would move to third on a wild pitch by Burkamper. After a strikeout, Burkamper got a fly ball to left where Luis Alvarado made the catch. Alvarado threw home in time, but up the line allowing Donnels to score to cut the lead to 2-1.
The Huskers would respond with a three spot in the third innings. Steven Reveles would double off the top of the scoreboard in left to get a rally started. Schleppenbach and Schreiber reached to load the bases for Ryan Boldt. Boldt would hit a sacrifice fly to score a run. Headley would pick up the runners on base with a double to the left field gap that put the Huskers up 5-1.
The Lions threatened in the fifth after a walk to David Edwards and a double by Chris Barnett put Lions on second and third with one out. Burkamper would induce a fly ball to right field off the bat of Ted Boeke. Austin Darby made the catch and then threw a strike to Tanner Lubach to complete the double play.
The Huskers would not threaten the rest of the game. The Lions could not muster any more offense against the pitching combination of Jeff Chestnut and Colton Howell. Howell recorded two strikeouts in his inning of work.
The Huskers improve to 6-4 on the young season. The Huskers will take on Texas A&M on Friday at 3:30.
Series Notes
Boldt had his 12 game hitting streak come to an end.
The Huskers took 2 of 3 from the Lions, who had previously been 16-2 at home dating back to last season.
Burkamper threw 7 innings today. He threw 7 and 1/3rd all last season.