Nebraska baseball trailed by six runs early and a furious comeback bid fell just short as Creighton held on to beat the Huskers, 8-7, Tuesday at Hawks Field. The win clinches the season series for the Bluejays, 2-1, and is Creighton’s 13th in the last 16 games against Nebraska.
But the Cornhuskers nearly staged a shocking comeback. Trailing by four in the bottom of the ninth, Dylan Carey reached on an error to leadoff the inning. Back-to-back singles by Joshua Overbeek and Case Sanderson loaded the bases ahead of Riley Silva, who singled to left to drive in Carey. Devin Nunez drew a bases-loaded walk to score Overbeek. Robbie Bolin hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Sanderson.
But Cayden Brumbaugh and Gabe Swansen struck out to end the game, leaving the tying run at third and the winning run at first, and the rally fell just short.
Nebraska needed a rally after a bumpy start to the game. The Bluejays scored two in the third inning. Then in the top of the fourth, with one out, Creighton loaded the bases with three walks, then scored four runs on an error, a hit batter, a sacrifice fly and a single. That boosted the Bluejays lead to 6-0.
The Huskers cut into CU’s lead with two runs in the fifth, one in the seventh and one in the eighth. But Creighton boosted its lead to 8-4 with two runs in the top of the ninth, before Nebraska’s rally fell just short.
Ian Koosman (3-0) earned the win, throwing three innings of two-hit, shutout ball. Will Walsh (4-7) took the loss, allowing two earned runs. Ben North paced the Bluejays lineup, hitting 3-for-4 with a double. Overbeek led the Huskers, going 3-for-4 with a homer.
Nebraska next faces Michigan Friday at Hawks Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m., with pregame at 5:30 p.m. on KLIN.