2017 NCAA Baseball Tournament: Nebraska Eliminated With 7-4 Loss To Holy Cross

You can close the book on Nebraska Baseball. For the second straight year, the Huskers lose two straight games in the regional round, and will head back to Lincoln. Nebraska dropped a 7-4 decision in the elimination game against Holy Cross Saturday after losing 5-1 to Yale on Friday afternoon.

Nebraska found themselves in a similar situation to Friday’s contest where they fell behind early. Singles from both Josh Hassell and Bill Schlich put pressure on Derek Burkamper early. Austin Masel grounded into a 3-6-1 double play to make Burkamper one pitch from getting out of trouble. A single from Anthony Critelli and a double from Alex Voitik platted a pair of runs for the Crusaders.

Burkamper settled down, and Nebraska managed to put together a couple of threats. After putting the first two runners on in the second, the Huskers stranded them.

In the fourth inning, Nebraska evened the score. Scott Schreiber got a first pitch single and Ben Miller followed with a single. After a sacrifice bunt from Luis Alvarado and a walk to Jake Schleppenbach loaded the bases, Jesse Wilkening lined out to left to plate Schreiber. Luke Roskam got a single to right to plate Miller and tie the game. After Roskam stole second, Mojo Hagge would strikeout to leave a pair of runners in scoring position.

After Burkamper turned away the Crusaders in the home half of the fourth, Nebraska looked to possibly take the lead in the fifth. Again, the first two batters reached when Jake Meyers was hit by a pitch and Angelo Altavilla singled on a bunt. Holy Cross would go to their bullpen and bring in George Capen who got Schreiber swinging on a slider, got Miller to pop up to left and got Alvarado on a slider to end the inning.

The Crusaders would cash in with the momentum in the fifth. Chris Rinaldi singled to start the frame and Schlich was hit by a pitch to put two on with one out. Masel would double down the line in right and advanced to third on an error by Hagge to put the Crusaders up 4-2. Nebraska would turn the ball over to Chad Luensmann who would allow a single from Critelli to plate Masel and push the lead to 5-2.

Another two spot from the Crusaders seemed to put the game out of reach for the Huskers. Four straight singles from Rinaldi, Hassell, Schlich, and Masel plated a pair of runs to move the Crusader lead to 7-2.

Meyers walked on four pitches in the seventh inning with one out, and Altavilla had a 3-0 count as the Huskers looked to get something going. Capen would work back into the count, including a questionable strike on a 3-1 pitch to get Altavilla down swinging, while also catching Meyers trying to steal second.

Jake McSteen came in for the seventh and worked a clean 1-2-3 inning.

In the bottom half of the eighth, Nebraska put together a rally. Schreiber led off the inning with a massive blast to left center to bring the Huskers to within 7-3. Miller followed with a wicked ground ball off the mound, reaching on an infield hit. Schleppenbach would walk to chase Capen from the game.

Phil Reese would relieve Capen and would get Jesse Wilkening swinging for the second out of the eighth. A pair of singles from Roskam and Hagge would plate a run for the Huskers. With the bases loaded, Meyers would hit a line drive that was caught by Masel in center to end the threat.

Nebraska would go 1-2-3 in the ninth to end their season at 35-22-1, ending the postseason 1-4. This was the final game for Miller, Schleppenbach, Brady Childs, Burkamper, and Alex Raburn.

Nebraska will surely be disappointed to go 0-2 in the regional round for the second straight year. Darin Erstad, Ted Silva, and all of the coaches may feel some pressure for losing to both Yale and Holy Cross, but all should be safe.