Husker Baseball Sweeps Purdue With 9-5 Win

The Nebraska baseball team (17-9, 7-2 Big Ten) swept the Purdue Boilermakers (10-20, 4-4 Big Ten) with a 9-5 victory on Sunday afternoon. Nebraska used a six run fourth inning to pull away from Purdue.

Reece Eddins got the start for the Huskers. Eddins gave up a triple and a double to put Purdue on the board in the first. He would help himself when he got a pickoff for the second out, before getting a lineout to end the first.

Aaron Palensky would answer for the Huskers in the home half. After Carter Cross walked, Palensky took a 3-1 fastball and hit it out to left for his first home run as a Husker.

Purdue tied the game with a single run in the second. A double to start the inning came around to score on a groundout.

The Boilermakers took the lead in the fourth with a solo home run.

Facing a 3-2 deficit, Nebraska sent 11 batters to the plate in the fourth. The Huskers loaded the bases to start the inning. Angelo Altavilla and Jaxon Hallmark singled before Alex Henwood was hit by a pitch. Cross hit a groundball deep in the hole to the shortstop who threw the ball into right field to clear the bases and give the Huskers a 5-3 lead. Palensky, Keegan Watson, and Luke Roskam would all add run scoring hits for the Huskers.

Purdue and Nebraska would trade runs in the fifth. Purdue got a pair of singles combined with an error and a wild pitch to plate one. Eddins got Bryce Bonner to strikeout to prevent Purdue from getting closer. Henwood would hit a solo shot to bring the Husker lead back to five.

Paul Tillotson would give up a moonshot home run in the sixth for Nebraska. Tillotson would be pulled after hitting a batter and giving up a fielder’s choice. Shay Schanaman got the Huskers out of the sixth with a pop up.

Schanaman would get Purdue in order in the seventh. He allowed one to reach via a strikeout and wild pitch combination in the eighth, before getting another strikeout to end the frame.

Colby Gomes pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning for the Huskers. Gomes was up to 95 with his fastball in his first appearance in over two weeks.

Nebraska remains in a tie for first place in the Big Ten with Indiana. The Huskers already have seven league wins, one less than last season. With a league series against last place Penn State next weekend, Nebraska could eclipse that mark.

Nebraska will host Creighton in their next game. The midweek contest is scheduled for Tuesday at Hawks Field. First pitch is set for 6:30 pm.