The Huskers gave the biggest crowd of the home slate so far this season a good show as they wrapped up their series against the Spartans. They needed a walk off home run Friday, and good pitching to pull off a 3-1 win Saturday. On “Championship Sunday”, they rolled out the now traditional goooood looking black uniforms, (always fitting with Gavin Blachowicz getting the nod on the mound) and put the game away early.
Blachowicz was tested early, and after facing the most adversity of his short career
as a starter, we got the answer if he would let it snowball again or slam the door shut. MSU first baseman Randy Seymour hit a solo shot to the front row of the party porch. Blachowicz came right back and got a line out and strikeout to bring up the NU offense.
Mac Moyer started the Husker half inning off as he’s done a Big Ten conference leading 15 times, with a walk. Back to back singles by Josh Overbeek and Dylan Carey loaded the bases for Friday hero Case Sanderson. Sandy hit his patented left-center gaps shot in the outfield that made it to the wall, for a 3 RBI double. Sanderson was able to jog home as DH Preston Freeman launched a 2 run home run, the first of his Husker career, to give Nebraska a 5-1 lead after 1.
After a Blachowicz zero, the offense got right back to work in the 2nd. Overbeek was hit by a pitch, and then the man the home crowd was waiting to explode for the first time this weekend, Dylan Carey put on a show. Carey had been hitless on Friday and Saturday, but had reached on a bunt base hit in the first. This time he put it where no one could try and throw him out, in the outfield berms. It was 7-1 Huskers.
Nebraska scored in all 6 innings they came up to the plate on Sunday. Mac Moyer drove in freshman catcher Jeter Worthley for a run in the 3rd. Drew Grego was the last of 3 straight singles in the 4th, scoring Sanderson. And in the 5th? Carey decided he had so much fun the first time he hit a 2 run home run, that he would do it again! Carey collected his third hit of the day, drove in his 3rd and 4th RBIs and scored his 3rd run. Thats how you end a mini-slump.
All this time Blachowicz was piling up outs on the mound. In fact after a walk to lead off the 2nd, Blachowicz (we need to figure out a shorter nickname for him) retired 12 straight Spartans. He did it by setting a career high elven strikeouts, while only allowing 2 runs on 3 hits and a single, measly walk. He would pitch a complete game as the run rule came into effect with the 12-2 score at the 7th inning stretch.
Huskers swept the Spartans to open Big Ten play, guaranteeing to at worst be tied with UCLA and USC at the top of the standings after the first weekend. Nebraska next hosts North Dakota State on Wednesday, before Maine comes to town next weekend.
On Deck
- Despite an 0 for 9 start to the weekend, Dylan Carey still leads the Big Ten in hits with 31, and is tied for the lead in doubles with 8.
- Have to give a shoutout to the defense this series. All sorts of spectacular play were made at numerous positions on the field. Today was no different as Jett “Mount” Buck showed why NU had tabbed him to be their starting short stop prior to knowing DC would return. He made an incredible catch running full speed away from home plate.
