Lincoln – Alex Gordon went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, while Tony Watson allowed two runs over five innings to help fifth-ranked Nebraska to a 10-2 victory over Northern Illinois at Hawks Field.
Gordon snapped out of a 1-for-9 funk with three hits, including an RBI double in the first and a key two-run single in the sixth to break open a 3-2 game. The junior third baseman led Nebraska’s 15-hit outburst, while right fielder Andy Gerch matched Gordon with a season-high three hits and an RBI. Ryan Bohanan also drove in a pair of runs, as the Huskers (42-12) scored seven runs over the final three frames.
Watson, a redshirt freshman from Grimes, Iowa, matched his season high with five innings of work, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out four to improve to 5-1 on the year. Watson’s only mistake was a two-run homer to Eric Sansouci in the third, but allowed just one hit after NIU took a 2-1 lead.
"Tony did a good job tonight, especially after the home run," Nebraska Coach Mike Anderson said. "He really attacked and was aggressive, and that is what we wanted to see. It was great to see some freshmen come through tonight. It was a good performance all the way around."
Nebraska took the lead for good in the third, as Ryan Wehrle, who went 1-fo-2 with three walks, singled before Gordon was walked to put runners on first and second. Curtis Ledbetter then tied the game with a double to left before a fielding error loaded the bases. Brandon Buckman then drove in the go-ahead run with a ground out.
Clinging to a 3-2 lead in the fifth, Watson ran into trouble, loading the bases with two outs, but got out of the jam by picking off Sansouci, who went 3-for-5 in a losing effort, at second to end the threat.
Northern Illinois (14-34-1) had its final chance to tie the game in the sixth, as Jake Blair opened the inning with a triple to right center, but Phil Shirek retired the next three Huskies in order to squelch the threat.
The Huskers broke the game open in the bottom of the inning, as Jesse Boyer singled with one out before a walk to Wehrle put runners at first and second. A balk moved both runners into scoring position for Gordon, who roped a bases-clearing double, his second of the night, to left center.
NU continued to extend the lead in the seventh, as consecutive doubles by Buckman and Gerch plated the first run before Gerch eventually scored on a wild pitch. One inning later, Bohanan’s pinch-hit two-run single and an RBI single by Jake Opitz capped the scoring.
Starter Jeff Hall took the loss for NIU, allowing three runs on five hits over four innings to dip to 0-1 on the year. Jeremy Busch was the only other Huskie with a multi-hit game, gong 2-for-5.
The Huskers return to action Wednesday afternoon against Northern Illinois with first pitch set for 2:05 p.m. Freshman Luke Wertz (0-0, 4.85 ERA) makes his second start of the season for the Huskers, while Nick Hall (3-6, 6.37 ERA) makes the start for NIU.
Northern Illinois at #5 Nebraska
May 17, 2005 at Lincoln, Neb. (Hawks Field)
Northern Illinois 2 (14-34-1)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
BUSCH, Jeremy cf......... 5 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0
SANSOUCI, Eric rf........ 5 1 3 2 0 0 2 1 0
SANTORO, Mike 1b......... 4 0 0 0 1 2 8 0 1
TONER, Brian lf.......... 3 0 0 0 2 3 2 0 2
BLAIR, Jake 3b........... 3 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 0
LARSEN, Greg ss.......... 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 4 0
CHERNEY, Kyle 2b......... 4 0 1 0 0 1 3 4 0
PETTENGELL, Kyle dh...... 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3
NEWCOMB, Jason ph....... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
GILLINGHAM, TUG ph...... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
KUKLA, Mike c............ 4 0 1 0 0 0 6 0 0
HALL, Jeff p............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
GOODWIN, Josh p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
GERMAN, MATT p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
FEENEY, Trevor p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Nykiel, Dave p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals................... 35 2 8 2 5 8 24 11 11
Nebraska 10 (42-12)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Boyer, Jesse lf.......... 5 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 1
Hightower, Mark ph/c.... 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
Wehrle, Ryan ss.......... 2 2 1 0 3 0 3 1 0
Gordon, Alex 3b.......... 4 1 3 3 1 0 2 2 1
Ledbetter, Curtis c/1b... 5 1 2 1 0 1 7 1 0
Bruce, Daniel cf......... 3 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0
Adams, Trey ph/cf....... 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 0
Fusilier, Brandon dh..... 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 4
Bohanan, Ryan ph........ 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0
Buckman, Brandon 1b...... 3 1 1 1 1 0 6 1 0
Nimmo, Bryce ph/lf...... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Gerch, Andy rf........... 5 1 3 1 0 0 2 0 4
Opitz, Jake 2b........... 5 0 1 1 0 1 2 1 0
Watson, Tony p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Shirek, Phil p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0
Duensing, Brian p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Foust, Matt p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals................... 39 10 15 9 7 5 27 7 12
Score by Innings R H E
-------------------------------------------
Northern Illinois... 002 000 000 - 2 8 2
Nebraska............ 102 002 23X - 10 15 1
-------------------------------------------
E - BLAIR, Jake 2(21); Gordon, A.(12). DP - Huskies 1. LOB - Huskies 11;
Huskers 12. 2B - SANSOUCI, E.(18); Boyer, J.(8); Gordon, A. 2(18);
Ledbetter, C(15); Buckman, B.(10); Gerch, A.(5). 3B - BLAIR, Jake(1). HR -
SANSOUCI, E.(3). SB - SANSOUCI, E.(11); Boyer, J.(4); Gordon, A.(21);
Fusilier, B.(14); Opitz, J.(2).
Northern Illinois IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP
--------------------------------------------------
HALL, Jeff.......... 4.0 5 3 2 2 2 19 21 77
GOODWIN, Josh....... 2.0 5 4 4 3 2 11 14 53
GERMAN, MATT........ 1.0 1 0 0 1 1 3 4 14
FEENEY, Trevor...... 0.1 3 3 3 1 0 4 5 19
Nykiel, Dave........ 0.2 1 0 0 0 0 2 2 6
Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP
--------------------------------------------------
Watson, Tony........ 5.0 4 2 2 3 4 19 22 89
Shirek, Phil........ 2.0 2 0 0 0 1 8 8 29
Duensing, Brian..... 1.0 1 0 0 1 2 4 5 19
Foust, Matt......... 1.0 1 0 0 1 1 4 5 20
Win - Watson, T. (5-1). Loss - HALL, Jeff (0-1). Save - None.
WP - GERMAN, MATT(6); FEENEY, Trev(6). BK - GOODWIN, J. 2(3). PB - Hightower(1).
Pitches/strikes: HALL, Jeff 77/47; GOODWIN, J. 53/32; GERMAN, MATT 14/8; FEENEY,
Trev 19/11; Nykiel, Dave 6/3; Watson, T. 89/56; Shirek, P. 29/18; Duensing, B.
19/13; Foust, M. 20/11.
Umpires - HP: Bill Goa 1B: Bruce Allen 3B: Tom Svehla
Start: 6:35p.m. Time: 2:56 Attendance: 4304
GOODWIN, J. faced 2 batters in the 7th.
Game: NU54
Courtesy: Scott Bruhn/NU Media Relations
