No. 19 Huskers Drop Rubber Match at No. 21 Oregon
No. 19 Nebraska fell 5-4 at No. 21 Oregon in the rubber match of the Top-25 series on Sunday afternoon in Eugene, Ore.
Nebraska (27-9, 12-3 Big Ten) scored four runs on eight hits, while Oregon (26-10, 10-5 Big Ten) tallied five runs on seven hits and one error.
Case Sanderson homered in the first and finished 2-for-3 with two RBI and a walk, extending his big weekend at the plate. Jeter Worthley had a 2-for-5 afternoon with a double and two RBI, and Rhett Stokes was 2-for-3 with a double. Mac Moyer and Will Jesske recorded one hit each.
Cooper Katskee started and gave the Huskers five-plus innings, allowing four runs on five hits with six strikeouts before departing. Grant Cleavinger took the loss, dropping to 0-1 after surrendering a run without recording an out. Gavin Blachowicz was strong in relief, striking out four over 2.1 scoreless innings. Tucker Timmerman recorded the final out for the NU pitching staff.
Nebraska grabbed the early lead in the first when Sanderson launched a solo home run to left field to make it 1-0. Oregon answered in the second with a two-run homer to right field that put the Ducks ahead 2-1.
The Huskers reclaimed the lead in the third with three quick runs. Stokes singled and Moyer walked to set the table, and Worthley doubled to left field to score both. Sanderson then singled to right to plate Worthley and push Nebraska ahead 4-2.
Oregon plated three runs in the bottom of the sixth to grab a 5-4 lead. A one-out solo homer to right field cut NU’s lead in half. Back-to-back hits, including an RBI double down the left-field line locked the game at four. A two-out RBI single through the left side gave the Ducks a 5-4 lead they would not relinquish.
Blachowicz and Timmerman held Oregon scoreless over the final three innings, but the Husker offense couldn’t plate the tying run.
The Big Red threatened in the top of the ninth after Stokes’ one-out double to right field, but the Ducks held on for the 5-4 victory on Sunday.
Nebraska returns to action on Tuesday, April 14, as the Huskers welcome Creighton for a midweek matchup at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park. First pitch between the Big Red and Bluejays is set for 6:02 p.m. on BTN.