Waco, Texas – The Nebraska baseball team (1-1) fell to Baylor, 8-7, on a walk-off single in the 10th inning at Baylor Ballpark on Saturday afternoon, setting up a rubber match between the former conference foes on Sunday.
Relief pitcher Max Schreiber threw a career-high 5.0 scoreless innings and recorded a career-high six strikeouts after starter Colby Gomes (2.0 innings) and Caleb Feekin (1.0) pitched the first three frames for the Big Red. Shay Schanaman took the loss after allowing two runs in 1.1 innings of work.
In the opening frame, Cam Chick slugged a leadoff home run to right field, his fifth career home run. Aaron Palensky managed a one-out walk, but a double play ended the inning. Baylor tied the score at 1-1 with a run of its own in the bottom half. The Bears produced back-to-back one-out doubles, but left the second runner stranded at third.
The Huskers went down in order in the top of the second. The Bears took their first lead of the series with two runs in the bottom of the second to make the score 3-1. Each of BU’s first three batters reached base with two singles and a walk. Tre Richardson laced a two-out triple to drive in one run before a flyout ended the frame.
Joe Acker hit a one-out single in the top of the third and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Spencer Schwellenbach reached on a wild pitch with two outs, but he and Acker were left stranded at the corners. In the bottom of the third, Baylor’s Nick Loftin and Andy Thomas smacked back-to-back home runs to extend its lead to 5-1. The Bears left two runners stranded in the inning.
In the top of the fourth, all three Husker hitters were retired. Baylor added a run in the bottom of the fourth to extend the lead to 6-1. The first two Bears reached base via walk and base hit before two groundouts and a strikeout ended the inning and left one on base.
Nebraska plated five runs in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 6-6. After a leadoff groundout, each of the next seven batters reached base. Ty Roseberry singled before Acker was hit-by-pitch and Chick singled to load the bases. Palensky smashed a grand slam to drive in each of them and tie the game. Roskam doubled and Leighton Banjoff drew a walk, but a double play ended the frame for the Big Red. In the bottom of the fifth, the Bears managed two baserunners but couldn’t score.
Roseberry blasted a solo home run in the top of the sixth to give NU a 7-6 lead. In the bottom half of the frame, Baylor left two runners stranded in a scoreless inning.
Roskam drew a two-out walk in the top of the seventh, but remained stranded as the other three Husker batters were retired. The Bears managed one baserunner via hit-by-pitch, but Schreiber struck out two and forced a groundout.
Hagge managed a single in the top of the eighth, but NU couldn’t bring him in. Schreiber allowed one walk in the bottom of the eighth, but he retired the other three Bear batters during the inning.
In the top of the ninth, Spencer Schwellenbach hit a one-out single, but was caught stealing after a flyout. In the bottom of the ninth, Baylor scored one run to send the game into extra innings. A leadoff walk followed by a single and a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third. BU’s run scored on a groundout, but the Bears left the go-ahead run stranded at third.
The Huskers went down in order in the top of the 10th. Baylor’s leadoff batter in the 10th doubled and was driven home when Chase Wehsener delivered the walk-off hit with one out.
The Huskers and Bears wrap up their series on Sunday, starting at 1 p.m. (CT). Fans can watch the game online via ESPN+ or listen to the Learfield IMG College Husker Sports Network.
