Ruston, La. - The Nebraska
baseball team (4-8, 0-0 Big Ten) saw its four-game winning streak come to a end
on Friday night at J.C. Love Field, as the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs opened the
three-game series with a 5-0 win. Phil Maton delivered 7.0 shutout innings in
the start, as the 2012 freshman All-American gave up four hits and struck out eight.
Nebraska
starter Ryan Hander faced just three Bulldog hitters in an inning four times on
the night, but fell to 0-2 on the season due to a four-run third inning. The
senior righty struck out six and walked just two, but he was dinged for five
runs on seven hits.
The
Bulldogs only tallied three more hits on the evenings, 8-5, but made each one
count. While the Huskers left eight runners on base, the Bulldogs left just
three runners stranded.
Hander
cruised through the first two innings, retiring the first six Bulldogs he
faced. Hander hit Sam Alvis to start the third, but then retired him at second
on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Ryan Jones. The Bulldogs then produced their
first two hits of the game to load the bases with one down.
Hander
got out to an 0-2 lead on Ryan Gebhardt, but the La Tech shortstop hung in and
worked a walk to plate the game's first run. No. 3 hitter Taylor Terrasas
opened the game up with a double down the leftfield line that cleared the
bases, giving the Bulldogs a 4-0 lead. After a walk put runners on the corners,
Hander struck out Kody Neel and Tanner Lubach threw out Tyler Ervine stealing
to end the third inning.
The
Bulldogs extended their lead to 5-0 in the fourth with a run on a pair of hits,
including a two-out single from No. 9 hitter Taylor Burch.
Nebraska
was in position to get on the board in the fifth with the bases loaded, but
Maton was able to get of the jam without any damage. After issuing a two-walk
to Rich Sanguinetti and an infield single to Austin Darby, Chad Christensen
stepped to the plate with two out and the bases juiced. The NU senior was
unable to come through, as he flied out into foul territory down the right-field
line.
The
Huskers and Bulldogs wrap up their three-game series tomorrow with a
doubleheader, starting at 1 p.m. Originally scheduled as a
Friday-Saturday-Sunday series, Sunday's game was moved to Saturday due to
impending weather.
Greg
Sharpe and Lane Grindle will have the call of both games tomorrow on the Husker
Sports Network, including for free on Huskers.com.
