Story by NU Athletic Communications
Nebraska suffered a 9-5 setback to Creighton on Tuesday afternoon at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park.
Nebraska (12-16) scored five runs on nine hits, while Creighton (17-7) totaled nine runs and 12 hits.
Riley Silva led the Big Red at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two RBI. Max Buettenback was 2-for-3 with a run scored, while Gabe Swansen, Hogan Helligso and Cael Frost had one hit and an RBI each.
TJ Coats recorded one out in the start, allowing three runs on two hits and a walk. Jalen Worthley pitched three innings in relief, surrendering one run on three hits. Drew Christo tossed 2.2 shutout innings, while Colin Nowaczyk was tagged with the loss after giving up two runs on two hits.
Ryan Harrahill dealt a pair of scoreless frames, followed by Pryce Bender and Luke Broderick combining to pitch the final inning.
Creighton raced out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first behind a pair of hits. The Bluejays had the bases loaded with one out after a leadoff double down the right-field line and a one-out hit batter and walk.
Back-to-back bases-loaded walks scored the first two runs, while an RBI single to right-center field grew the lead to three in the first.
The Husker offense locked the game at three in the second with a trio of hits in the bottom of the second. Dylan Carey was hit by the pitch to begin the inning, while Buettenback’s one-out single to right put runners on first and second.
Helligso got the Big Red on the board with an RBI single to center that brought home Carey from second. Case Sanderson drew a walk to load the bases with two outs, before Silva laced a two-RBI single to right-center field to even the game at three.
Creighton took a 4-3 lead in the top of the fourth with back-to-back singles after a one-out walk.
Cayden Brumbaugh reached on a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the fifth and moved to second on a groundout to first. The Big Red had runners on first and second with two outs after the Bluejays intentionally walked Carey. Swansen stepped up to the plate and ripped a pinch-hit RBI double to left field, scoring Brumbaugh and tying the game at four.
A leadoff walk and double to right field in the top of the seventh set up the go-ahead two-RBI single to left-center field for the Bluejays.
Carey was plunked to open the bottom of the eighth, and Buettenback singled to left field to put runners on first and second with one out. Frost came to the plate in a pinch-hitting role and lined an RBI double down the right-field line to bring the Big Red within a run.
Trailing 6-5 with runners on second and third and one out, the next two Huskers were retired to maintain CU’s lead going into the ninth inning.
The Bluejays tacked on three runs on three hits in the top of the ninth to extend the lead to 9-5. A leadoff double and wild pitch on strike three had runners on first and third, before a two-RBI triple down the right-field line stretched the lead to 8-5. CU added one more with a two-out RBI single to right field that made it a 9-5 game heading into the bottom of the ninth.
The Husker offense was retired in order in the bottom of the ninth to clinch Creighton’s 9-5 win on Tuesday afternoon.
Nebraska returns to action tomorrow, as the Huskers travel to Omaha to take on the Mavericks at Tal Anderson Field. First pitch between the Big Red and Omaha is set for 6 p.m.