This game wrap-up can be pretty much summed up with a couple of sentences and some imagination.
Auburn sent 19 batters to the plate in the first two innings, scored eight runs, with only one hit out of the infield. Nebraska pitching, Carson Jasa and Colin Nowaczyk, issued five walks and hit three batters. They gifted the Tigers a blowout victory faster than some people can eat a cheeseburger.
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Fortunately, Ryan Harrahill was able to come in and steady the ship, bailing out Nowaczyk in the second getting the final two outs and then going two more full innings without surrendering another run. That ended up being significant as the Cornhusker offense found some life and gave a little hope to fans by putting up two runs in the fourth and another pair in the fifth.
Cole Kitchens roped a one-out single in the top of the fourth and scored just a few minutes later when Jett Buck smashed a home run over the leftfield foul pole. After striking out four times last night and dropping down in the lineup, it was good to see Buck put the barrel of the bat on the ball as he has all season until last night. After four innings, it was 8-2 Auburn.
Nebraska took another step to get back into the game in the fifth. For the second time in the game, Mac Moyer led off an inning with a single. Up came Nico Newhan, a redshirt sophomore making his second appearance of the season, who got his first hit as a Cornhusker – a two-run homer over the rightfield wall.
The Positive Pete’s of the world got even more excited as Big Red batters continued to put the ball in play. Still in the fifth inning, the boys loaded the bases, bringing the tying run to the plate, but it was not to be as Drew Grego went down swinging. At 8-4, there was some hope, but certainly a feeling that they lost an opportunity in that inning.
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The hope was crushed emphatically in the bottom of the fifth inning. Lincoln North Star alum Lynden Bruegman made his first start as a Cornhusker and it turned into an absolute nightmare for the transfer from Missouri Western. Single. Double. Home run. Home run. New pitcher and now down eight runs again, 12-4.
Cornhusker batters went down in the order in the sixth and seventh innings. With the ten-run rule in effect, Tiger batters were determined to end the game early off lefty Jalen Worthley, making his first appearance of the season. After getting a run due to a catcher’s interference and a double by Chris Rembert, the best hitter on the Auburn team so far this season, Mason McCraine ended the game with a monster home run on a two-out full-count pitch from Worthley.
Auburn tied the series with their 15-4 win and showed why they are ranked #7, though Will Bolt and his team have to believe they in large part gave this one away. On the bright side, Ryan Harrahill and Tucker Timmerman both pitched well. On the negative side of that, in two games Nebraska used 11 arms out of the bullpen. That will put a little more pressure on starting pitching tomorrow.
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The team did not fold their tent today and stayed in the fight. They battled at the plate against Tiger pitching, which has been very solid all season, and Nebraska still has a chance to win the series.
The same two teams will be back at it again tomorrow at 1:00 as Gavin Blachowicz will face off against Alex Petrovic.
Notes
·     Now that Nebraska has played Auburn for the first time in school history, the only SEC school the Cornhuskers haven’t played is Tennessee. Let’s get them up to Haymarket next year!
·     Today’s crowd of 6,687 was a record at Auburn for a non-conference game. A number of fans were in red and you could hear their presence. Looking at all of the red in the area during the men’s basketball game at USC this afternoon reinforces the belief that no fan base shows up on the road like Nebraska fans!
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·     Will Jesske was injury during his at-bat in the top of the first, pulling up with a tweaked hamstring. He went out to play defense in the bottom of the inning, but was replaced the next inning by Nico Newhan. According to Coach Bolt in his post-game interview, he will be evaluated this evening.
·     Mac Moyer has secured his spot at the top of the order. He had two hits again today and gets on base. He sees a lot of pitches, gets walked, and hits for average to top it off.
·     Auburn had three innings with four runs, and one with three runs.
