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Nebraska was eliminated from the NCAA Tournament, after being defeated by the Western Carolina Catamounts on Saturday afternoon. The Huskers spoiled chance after chance in the rainy dreary contest. With the loss, Nebraska goes 0-4 in the postseason, and ends the 2016 season with a 36-22 record.
Western Carolina took an early lead as Jake Meyers had trouble locating his pitches in the first inning. After a leadoff walk and a single, the Huskers turned a double play, but Meyers allowed a single to score a run for the Catamounts.
Nebraska loaded the bases with only one out in the first inning after Western Carolina starter Taylor Durand walked three hitters. Durand would get Taylor Fish to chase a high fastball and Steven Reveles to pop out to first to end that threat.
Again the Huskers loaded the bases in the second inning with three walks and only one out. Ryan Boldt lined out to second base and Jake Schleppenbach would be doubled off of second to end that threat.
Nebraska pulled even in the second, when Reveles got the Huskers first hit, and advanced to second on an error by the Catamount shortstop. A bloop single by Schleppenbach gave the Huskers their first signs of life and tied the game at one.
Western Carolina retook the lead with three straight two-out singles in the sixth inning. The first single was misplayed by Cole Klemke who started back and could not make a diving grab to end the inning.
Klemke had a chance to atone for his mistake in the bottom half of the inning. Klemke came up with runners on first and second and just one out, but Klemke hit into the Huskers third double play of the day.
Meyers hit into one in the seventh and Reveles hit into one in the eighth, which was just a recap of the entire postseason offense for the Huskers.
Nebraska finishes the season at 37 wins and 22 losses. While it's not a terrible season by far, the fact that the Huskers went out with such a wimper in the postseason will be discussed all summer.