Austin, Texas - The Nebraska
baseball team (0-7, 0-0 Big Ten) was unable to get its offense going on Sunday
afternoon at Disch-Falk Field, as the No. 25 Texas Longhorns (6-1, 0-0 Big 12)
completed a three-game sweep with a 2-0 win. Nebraska was limited to two hits
on the day and a total of four baserunners.
Texas
starter Nathan Thornhill kept the Husker offense off-balanced, as the righty
pitched 7.0-scoreless innings to pick up his first win of the season. Thornhill
gave up just two hits and one walk, before UT closer Corey Knebel took over in
the eighth inning and retired all six Huskers he faced to secure the win.
Nebraska's
Ryan Hander gave the Huskers a chance, as he limited Texas' offensive
production to two runs on eight hits and no walks, but in the end it was not
enough. The senior from Sioux Falls, S.D., was tagged with the loss after going
6.0 innings and tying his career high with seven strikeouts. After NU's
pitching staff issued a combined 15 walks in the first two games of the series,
the Huskers didn't give up a free pass on Sunday.
After
retiring six straight Longhorns, Hander hit Taylor Stell to lead off the bottom
of the fourth. After stealing second and a close play, Stell scored the game's
first run on a one-out double from Mark Payton. C.J. Hinojosa followed with a
single to put runners on the corners with one down, but Hander responded with a
pair of strikeouts to end the inning.
The
Longhorns threated in the fifth inning, but again Hander pitched his way out of
a jam. Brooks Marlow led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt
from Weston Hall. Leadoff hitter Matt Moynihan followed with a single and stole
second to give UT runners at second and third with one down. Hander dug deep, striking
out Stell looking and Erich Weiss swinging to keep Texas' lead to one run, 1-0.
Texas
got its leadoff hitter on for the third straight inning in the sixth following
a single by Payton. Hinojosa moved Payton to second on a sacrifice bunt and he
then scored on a single by Jacob Felts to put UT ahead, 2-0. Hander retired the
next two Longhorns he faced, including a strikeout of Marlow to end the sixth. Marlow's
strikeout was Hander's seventh of the game, tying his career high that he set
against Penn State at the 2012 Big Ten Tournament.
Nebraska
is scheduled to hold its 2013 home opener on Friday, March 1, against New
Mexico at 2:05 p.m. Check back with Huskers.com later this week for any updates
to next weekend's schedule.
