Iowa Walks Off Nebraska 3-2

It was a tough night for the Husker baseball team as Nebraska fell to the Iowa Hawkeyes 3-2 in walkoff fashion. The Huskers received another solid start from Matt Waldron, but were unable to crack the Hawkeyes.

After a quick first two innings, Iowa got on the board first. The Hawkeyes used timely hitting, stringing together three hits with two outs in the third to take a 1-0 lead.

The Huskers would take the lead back in the fourth inning. Angelo Altavilla walked and advanced to third on a pair of grounders. With two outs, Nebraska tied the game on a RBI single from Mojo Hagge. After Hagge stole second, Cam Chick drove him in with a single to right. After Colby Gomes walked, Alex Henwood drove a ball to right field but it was caught for the final out of the inning.

After Waldron put up a zero in the Iowa fourth, Nebraska had a chance to blow the game open. An error and a single put the first two runners on for the Huskers. Altavilla bunted but Spencer Schwellenbach was out at third on the fielder’s choice. With two outs and the bases loaded, Hagge hit a hard grounder right to the shortstop for the last out.

Iowa tied the game in the sixth. A double from Chris Whelan started the inning. After a balk moved Whelan to third, the Hawkeyes got a single to tie the game.

With the game tied at two in the eighth, Nebraska had another chance to take the lead. Jaxon Hallmark pinch hit for Chick and walked on four pitches. He stole second to bring up Gomes with two outs. Gomes hit a deep chopping groundball to third where he was thrown out by a half step to end the inning.

Alex Henwood was hit by a pitch in the ninth but was thrown out stealing. Schwellenbach and Aaron Palensky were unable to start a rally to give the Hawkeyes the chance to walkoff.

Robbie Palkert would give up a single to start the ninth. Roskam made a great play on a sacrifice bunt to get the lead runner at second for the first out. Palkert got a strikeout, but allowed the runner to steal second. A single to right was well hit and gave Palensky a chance to make a throw to the plate, but it was airmailed to give the Hawkeyes the lead.

Nebraska was unable to take advantage of another great pitching performance by Matt Waldron and gives up ground in the race for the Big Ten title. Nebraska needs to be better about leaving runners on base, and executing situational hitting.

Nebraska and Iowa return to Iowa City tomorrow afternoon. First pitch between the Huskers and Hawkeyes is set for 2:00. The game is scheduled to be on the Big Ten Network.