Nebraska snapped a two game losing streak, and defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes 8-6 on Sunday afternoon. Nebraska gave up a lead in the eighth, only to retake the lead in the bottom half of the inning.
The Huskers looked to be well on their way in the first inning when the first four Huskers reached base. Jake Meyers ripped the first pitch of the game for a hit, Angelo Altavilla reached on an error, and Ben Miller walked to load the bases for Scott Schreiber. Schreiber would single up the middle to drive in two runs for the Huskers. Nebraska would be unable to add any more runs after Luke Roskam grounded into a double play.
Meyers was dealing on the mound, setting down the Hawkeyes in order in the second, third, and fourth. He did receive some help from Miller in the third who made a spectacular play on a high flyball down the first base line.
Ben. Miller. WOW.
— Nebraska Baseball (@Husker_Baseball) April 16, 2017
https://t.co/nyZJdtNSPh
In the bottom of the third, Nebraska tacked on a run when Altavilla, Schreiber, and Luis Alvarado all had solid singles.
Meyers ran into trouble in the fifth when he gave up a double to Tyler Cropley with one out. After a balk, Cropley would score on a Austin Guzzo single through the right side. A double play would erase Guzzo and end the inning.
Turn it. ✌️
— Nebraska Baseball (@Husker_Baseball) April 16, 2017
Out of the top of the 5th.https://t.co/l9FLo08Uyy
After a quick bottom of the fifth, Iowa tied the game in the sixth. With one out Chris Whelan singled and then Jake Adams doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Robert Neustrom would single to plate both Whelan and Adams and tie the game. After a walk to Ben Norman, Jake McSteen would come in and get a pop-up to end the sixth.
Nebraska answered right back in their half of the sixth when Schreiber and Alvarado singled to start the inning. After a sacrifice bunt from Alex Raburn, Jesse Wilkening would send a well hit ball to Mitchell Boe at second for the second out. With two outs, Jake Schleppenbach would pull a ball into the gap in right to score two runs and give the Huskers the lead back at 5-3.
Iowa looked like they would pull even and possibly threaten to go ahead in the seventh when Matt Hoeg and Boe singled to put runners at the corners with one out for Whelan. Whelan hit a grounder to Altavilla at third who threw wild to score Hoeg and put runners at second and third with one out. Mason McCoy would hit a looper to Brison Cronenbold who fired to Schleppenbach to double off Whelan at second to end the inning.
Chad Luensmann took the mound in the eighth and promptly allowed the first two batters to reach. Cronenbold bobbled a ball at shortstop and then Neustrom singled to put the go ahead run on. After two flyouts and a walk loaded the bases with two down, Hoeg singled down the line in left to give the Hawkeyes the lead.
With the lead, Iowa turned the ball over to Nick Nelsen to lock down the eighth. Nelsen got Alvarado to lineout to right, before Cronenbold and Wilkening singled. Josh Martsching came in and struck out Schleppenbach on a high fastball before Mojo Hagge ripped a ball over the head of Neustrom in right for a two out, two run triple. After Meyers was hit by the very next pitch, Altavilla would plate an insurance run with a single to left.
Egg-cellent.
— Nebraska Baseball (@Husker_Baseball) April 16, 2017
https://t.co/wr7OL22Nw1
Alvarado relieved Luensmann and got Whelan swinging for the first out. Cronnenbold would make a barehanded play on a deflected ball to get the second out, before Adams doubled. Neustrom would come to the plate as the tying run, but popped-up to Cronenbold to end the game.
Glove? Nah.https://t.co/0FlUH5j0MH
— Nebraska Baseball (@Husker_Baseball) April 16, 2017
With the win, Nebraska moves to 21-13-1 (5-3-1) while Iowa falls to 20-12 (5-4). Nebraska is in action on Tuesday when they travel to Creighton to play the Blue Jays for the second of their three games this season. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30.