NEBRASKA UPSETS ARKANSAS 5-3, GAME SEVEN IS NEEDED.

GIVE US A GAME SEVEN! Nebraska completed a come from behind victory over the No. 1 Arkansas Razorbacks 5-3 to force a game seven on Monday night. Kyle Perry and Spencer Schwellenbach combined to hold the Hogs to just three runs while Griffin Everitt had a two run single that proved the difference for the Huskers.

The Hogs were the visiting team, so they got the first crack at Perry. He struck out a a pair in a 1-2-3 first inning.

Jaxon Hallmark gave the Huskers the early lead when he took Arkansas starting pitcher Lael Lockhart deep for a solo home run. Lockhart struck out Schwellenbach and Luke Roskam to end the first.

Arkansas took the lead in the third inning with three runs. A walk to Jalen Battles and a single from Matt Goodheart put a pair on for the Hogs. Cayden Wallace singled to score one and put two runners in scoring position after an error on Hallmark allowed the runners to advance. A wild pitch on a 0-2 pitch from Perry allowed one run to score and another scored on a Everitt throwing error.

The Huskers manage to put up a run in their half of the third. Logan Foster reached on an error to start the inning. Joe Acker doubled to put two more runners in scoring position for Nebraska. A sacrifice fly from Hallmark trimmed the lead and moved Acker to third with just one out. Acker was thrown out on a fielder’s choice from Schwellenbach and then Spencer was thrown out trying to steal 90 feet on an infield single from Roskam.

Perry got the Huskers through four innings and went back out for the fifth. Battles walked with one out and Goodheart followed with a single. Perry was replaced by Schwellenbach and the Huskers closer got to work. He struck out Wallace and got a flyball to end the Hogs threat.

In the bottom of the fifth working against Lockhart, the Huskers took the lead. Acker started a rally with a one out single and was followed with a Hallmark infield hit off the pitcher. Schwellenbach hit a liner into left to tie the game.

Arkansas made a pitching change and brought in Ryan Costeiu. Costeiu struck out Roskam for the second out. Everitt then rolled a 2-1 pitch into right to score two and give the Huskers the 5-3 lead.

Schwellenbach stranded a two out single in the top of the sixth. In the bottom of the sixth, Nebraska had runners on second and third and no one out but could not add any more insurance.

Both teams went three up and three down in both the seventh and eighth innings. Nebraska hit into a liner double play in the eighth when Matthews misread a ball hit to center off the bat of Mojo Hagge.

In the pressure packed top of the ninth, Schwellenbach walked Christian Franklin on five pitches to start the inning. A groundball was hit slowly and Schwellenbach fielded it and threw to Roskam for the first out. A walk to Cullen Smith and a wild pitch put runners on the corners and just one out. A huge strikeout of Casey Opitz on a fastball away provided the second out. Battles then swung at a 3-1 elevated fastball and popped out to Roskam to give the Huskers a huge win over Arkansas.

Nebraska and Arkansas now are set for a winner take all game. Tomorrow’s game will be at 6pm.

Nebraska will have options on who it wants to start the game. Cade Povich could be the likely starter who only threw 48 pitches on Friday night. Arkansas meanwhile has a more murky pitching situation, but closer Kevin Kopps will be available after not pitching tonight.