After suffering a walkoff defeat on Friday afternoon, the Nebraska Baseball team came back and swept a doubleheader from the Cal Poly Mustangs on Saturday. Nebraska squeaked by in game one winning 6-5, while the offense cruised in game two winning 6-4.
Jake Meyers started the first contest for the Huskers and continued his scoreless streak for the first four innings.
In the fourth inning, Nebraska took the lead when three consecutive doubles from Angelo Altavilla, Meyers, and Scott Schreiber scored two runs. The Huskers had a chance for more when Luis Alvarado reached on a dropped flyball and moved Schreiber to third but could not score.
Nebraska tacked on a single run in the fifth inning when Brison Cronenbold doubled, moved to third on sacrifice bunt, and scored when Altavilla singled to second base.
Cal Poly would get a pair of runs back in their half of the fifth inning. Bradlee Beesley got a leadoff double for the Mustangs first hit of the game to start the inning. Scott Ogrin would then take a Meyers fastball over the left field wall for a two run shot to pull to within one. Meyers would bounce back and get out of the inning unscathed.
The Huskers would put up a three spot in the sixth inning. With new pitcher Craig Colen into the game, Schreiber doubled, Alvarado singled, and Luke Roskam doubled to chase Colen and put the Husker lead up to 4-2. A Cronenbold sacrifice fly and a Mustang error pushed the lead to 6-2.
After pulling a run back in their half of the sixth, Cal Poly would not threaten Meyers again. Meyers set down the last eight Mustang batters who came to the plate.
In the ninth, Alvarado would switch spots with Meyers. Alvarado who got the first out, would load the bases with a walk, single, and hit batter. After a single and sacrifice fly pulled the Mustangs to within one, Alvarado would get a liner to Meyers in center to preserve the Husker victory.
Leading off the nightcap Mojo Hagge launched a towering flyball for a triple to right center. Altavilla would drive in Hagge with a sacrifice fly to left field to give the Huskers the early lead.
Nebraska repeated in the second inning, with Alvarado leading off with a tripe to right field, and Jesse Wilkening getting the RBI with a groundball to doubled the Husker lead.
While the Huskers held an early lead, Connor Curry was outstanding on the mound. Curry worked 3.2 innings for the Huskers, allowing only three walks and no hits. Curry was relieved by Nate Fischer who was solid, giving up three runs in 4.2 innings of work.
The Huskers blew the game open in the fifth inning, when back to back to back doubles from Mike Waldron, Joe Acker, and Hagge pushed the lead to 5-0.
Cal Poly did pull back a single run in the bottom half of the inning when Kyle Marinconz homered off of Fischer. The Mustangs could do no more damage in the inning, swinging at almost everything Fischer had to offer.
In their half of the ninth inning, Nebraska added a tally when Waldron singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a Schreiber single.
Cal Poly would get another two run home run from Ogrin in the ninth to chase Fischer. Jake McSteen would come in and allow a single and a double and single to bring the winning run to the plate. Robbie Palkert would relieve McSteen and get a game ending 6-4-3 double play to get the save.
With the win, the Huskers move to 12-10. Nebraska returns to action on Tuesday night when they welcome Kansas State to Lincoln for the first of two midweek games this season.