Huskers keep Big 12 title hopes alive with two comeback wins
Nebraska’s doubleheader sweep of Texas A&M in Haymarket Park Sunday seemed about as likely as the Huskers getting the five ninth-inning runs they needed to win the opener.
They did that, though, to break the Aggies’ 16-game Big 12 Conference winning streak with a 9-8 decision, then prevented them from clinching the Big 12 regular-season title by scoring three eighth-inning runs to take the nightcap 13-10.
The outcomes let NU improve to 38-9-1 overall and 17-6-1 in the league, and hopeful of making up 1½ games in the standings to A&M (42-10, 19-5) over the final three next weekend.
Nebraska finishes with a series at Missouri, while the Aggies play Texas (two at home and one on the road).
The Huskers overcame a 9-4 deficit entering the bottom of the sixth inning to win Sunday’s second game.
A&M committed six errors in the contest, including two in the decisive eighth, when NU broke a 10-10 tie.
Tyler Farst started that flurry by reaching on an error by shortstop Jose Duran, then scored when DJ Belfonte singled up the middle and center fielder Kyle Colligan committed a two-base error trying to make a bare-handed play.
David Stewart, who drove in five runs in the opener, then hit an RBI single over a drawn-in infield to make it 12-10. After advancing on Ben Kline’s groundout, Stewart then scored on Bryce Nimmo’s single to center.
In the first game, Mitch Abeita’s two-out RBI single capped a five-run outburst that gave the Huskers the victory.
“I thought our dugout was a little bit down, but I guess I was wrong,” coach Mike Anderson said after his club produced the second largest comeback in his six seasons.
Added Abeita, “We had a tough game, but we never gave in. Not surprised. Not surprised at all.“
A&M had erased a 4-2 deficit by scoring four runs with two out in the fifth, then got another two on an error by shortstop Kline with two outs in the sixth.
The Aggies cruised into the last inning with reliever Kyle Thebeau having kept NU hitless since he entered the contest with one in the fifth. But Nick Sullivan started the comeback with a single, and after Farst reached on a fielding error by second baseman Blake Stouffer, Thebeau walked Belfonte.
The freshman designated hitter Stewart, who had driven in the Huskers’ first four runs, then hit a grounder to first baseman Luke Anders, but he misplayed it for a run-costing error.
Nebraska then called on Cody Neer to pinch-hit, and the junior stroked a 1-0 pitch to left-center field for a two-run single before NU tied the game on Nimmo’s fielder’s choice grounder to shortstop.
A&M stuck with Thebeau, who owns the Big 12’s best earned-run average, and he came back to strike out Jake Mort. But Jake Opitz coaxed a walk to give the Huskers a runner in scoring position.
Abeita, 1-for-11 in the series when he came to the plate, was left gathering himself twice after missing badly at a 1-2 delivery, but then promptly pulled Thebeau’s next pitch sharply in between shortstop and second base, allowing Nimmo to race home and be greeted by a wild celebration.
“We still have goals set,” said Dan Jennings, who pitched 31/3 innings of scoreless relief to earn the victory. “We still have our eyes set on a Big 12 championship, so we have to keep going.“
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com.
They did that, though, to break the Aggies’ 16-game Big 12 Conference winning streak with a 9-8 decision, then prevented them from clinching the Big 12 regular-season title by scoring three eighth-inning runs to take the nightcap 13-10.
The outcomes let NU improve to 38-9-1 overall and 17-6-1 in the league, and hopeful of making up 1½ games in the standings to A&M (42-10, 19-5) over the final three next weekend.
Nebraska finishes with a series at Missouri, while the Aggies play Texas (two at home and one on the road).
The Huskers overcame a 9-4 deficit entering the bottom of the sixth inning to win Sunday’s second game.
A&M committed six errors in the contest, including two in the decisive eighth, when NU broke a 10-10 tie.
Tyler Farst started that flurry by reaching on an error by shortstop Jose Duran, then scored when DJ Belfonte singled up the middle and center fielder Kyle Colligan committed a two-base error trying to make a bare-handed play.
David Stewart, who drove in five runs in the opener, then hit an RBI single over a drawn-in infield to make it 12-10. After advancing on Ben Kline’s groundout, Stewart then scored on Bryce Nimmo’s single to center.
In the first game, Mitch Abeita’s two-out RBI single capped a five-run outburst that gave the Huskers the victory.
“I thought our dugout was a little bit down, but I guess I was wrong,” coach Mike Anderson said after his club produced the second largest comeback in his six seasons.
Added Abeita, “We had a tough game, but we never gave in. Not surprised. Not surprised at all.“
A&M had erased a 4-2 deficit by scoring four runs with two out in the fifth, then got another two on an error by shortstop Kline with two outs in the sixth.
The Aggies cruised into the last inning with reliever Kyle Thebeau having kept NU hitless since he entered the contest with one in the fifth. But Nick Sullivan started the comeback with a single, and after Farst reached on a fielding error by second baseman Blake Stouffer, Thebeau walked Belfonte.
The freshman designated hitter Stewart, who had driven in the Huskers’ first four runs, then hit a grounder to first baseman Luke Anders, but he misplayed it for a run-costing error.
Nebraska then called on Cody Neer to pinch-hit, and the junior stroked a 1-0 pitch to left-center field for a two-run single before NU tied the game on Nimmo’s fielder’s choice grounder to shortstop.
A&M stuck with Thebeau, who owns the Big 12’s best earned-run average, and he came back to strike out Jake Mort. But Jake Opitz coaxed a walk to give the Huskers a runner in scoring position.
Abeita, 1-for-11 in the series when he came to the plate, was left gathering himself twice after missing badly at a 1-2 delivery, but then promptly pulled Thebeau’s next pitch sharply in between shortstop and second base, allowing Nimmo to race home and be greeted by a wild celebration.
“We still have goals set,” said Dan Jennings, who pitched 31/3 innings of scoreless relief to earn the victory. “We still have our eyes set on a Big 12 championship, so we have to keep going.“
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com.
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