The Nebraska baseball team has been more than a little shakey during its mid-week matchups but the Huskers managed to dominate a good K-State team.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball team has had a mostly positive 2023 season so far, but if there’s been one area where Will Bolt’s teams have struggled so far its been in the mid-week matchups.
A big reason for those struggles has been a pitching staff that hasn’t seemed to have a great deal of pitching depth. However, on Tuesday night, the Nebraska baseball team managed to shut down the Kansas State Wildcats 6-1 in what could be seen as a statement on the rest of the season.
The contest between the Huskers (16-9-1) and the Wildcats (19-12) was a nailbiter for most of the game as the Nebraska baseball team held a slim 2-1 lead from the second inning all the way to the 7th when they got a few insurance runs in the top of that frame and then closed things out by scoring another two runs in the top of the ninth.
Key Nebraska baseball moment
With a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the second inning, the Nebraska Cornhuskers looked like they might surrender the lead. After starter Caleb Clark retired the first batter he faced in the inning with minimal effort, he hit Jayden Lobliner with a pitch. He then allowed a single to Brendan Jones. After recording a strikeout, Clark allowed an RBI single to leadoff hitter Cash Rugely that made the score 2-1. After a walk to Brady Day to load the bases, Clark retired Kaelen Culpepper on a line out to third to end the threat. Kansas State couldn’t manage to score another run against four Nebraksa baseball relief pitchers.
Why the Huskers won
Clark didn’t have great stuff on Tuesday night as he was lifted after that eventual second inning. The four relievers that came in after him weren’t dominant, allowing three hits and walking three but they were able to limit the damage.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers offense likewise wasn’t dominant, but it was effective late especially. Five different Huskers drove in a run and the team knocked out 12 hits to go with its six runs.
Stats that stand out
- Brice Matthews had another two hits on Tuesday night in five at bats and the star shortstop is now hitting .404 on the season. He also had two RBI and now has 41 on the season.
- Max Anderson also had two hits and is now batting .413 on the year. He also hit his 9th homer of the season and drove in his 33rd run.
- Catcher Josh Caron also went 2-for-4 and raised his season average to .322 as he continues to chase an award that goes to the best college catcher in the game.
- Shay Schanaman has had a bit of an up and down season, but on Tuesday night, the reliever pitched the game’s final three innings and didn’t allow a run. The performance got his ERA under 5 at 4.81.
Next up
This weekend, the Nebraska baseball team will travel to Ann Arbor Michigan to take on a Wolverines team that has struggled a bit in non-conference but is already boasting a 5-1 record in Big Ten play. The Nebraska Cornhuskers would be positioning themselves well if they could manage to take two of three in the series.