Offensive Explosion! Husker Baseball Shuts Out Purdue 17-0

Nebraska opened their four game home stand with an impressive offensive effort on Friday night. The Huskers scored six runs in the first inning and never looked back en route to a 17-0 victory over the Purdue Boilermakers.

Matt Waldron got the start for the Huskers. Waldron was his typical Friday night ace, throwing seven innings of scoreless baseball. Waldron recorded a career high nine strikeouts while scattering just four hits.

After Waldron set down Purdue in the first, Nebraska sent ten men to the plate in a big inning. Joe Acker and Aaron Palensky got it started with a single and a walk. Carter Cross drove them in with a single to put the Huskers on the board.

Purdue starter Patrick J. Smith would continue to find himself in trouble in the first. He hit Keegan Watson and walked both Angelo Altavilla and Colby Gomes. Combined with three wild pitches, the Huskers would take a 6-0 lead. Smith would be pulled after recording only two outs.

The Huskers added a pair of runs in the second inning. Palensky doubled down the left field line to start the inning. Pinch hitter Mojo Hagge drove in Palenksy with a single. Hagge would score on an Altavilla base hit.

Purdue loaded the bases in the third for their best threat of the night. Two singles and a hit batter gave the Boilermakers a chance to cut into the deficit with just one out. Waldron responded with a strikeout and a flyball to Palensky to get the Huskers out of the jam.

In the fifth, Nebraska added seven runs. Cam Chick started the inning with a long ball to right. After Gomes and Hallmark reached, Gunner Hellstrom doubled to score a pair. Hagge, Watson, and Altavilla all had run scoring hits to stretch the lead to 15-0.

Ben Klenke relieve Waldron from the bullpen for the Huskers. He gave up a two out single, but recorded his second strikeout to get out of the eighth inning.

Nebraska tacked on a pair in the eighth inning. With the bases loaded, Kennett Sorenson hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Ty Roseberry who had walked. Hagge won a long battle and was rewarded with a RBI hit as well.

Klenke would stay in the game for the ninth. He retired Purdue on just seven pitches to clinch the Huskers fifth win of the conference season.

Nebraska moves to 15-9 and 5-2 in Big Ten play with the win. The Huskers move into a tie for second place in the Big Ten, just one game behind Minnesota. Nebraska and Purdue continue their three game series tomorrow with first pitch set for 2:00 p.m.