Lincoln – The Indiana State Sycamores (8-8, 0-0 MVC) had the tying run on base in the top of the ninth, but Josh Roeder closed out a 4-3 win with a strikeout for his sixth save of the season. It was the Huskers’ sixth straight victory, as they improved to 13-6 on the year.
The Huskers were outhit on the day, 8-6, but worked eight walks off the Sycamores’ pitching staff, while Nebraska’s staff issued just one free pass and struck out eight. Junior Jeff Chesnut earned the win and improved to 3-0 on the year following two innings of perfect relief with four strikeouts.
Ryan Boldt and Jake Placzek each notched two hits, with Boldt chipping in a pair of RBIs.
Placzek picked up NU’s first hit of the game in the bottom of the third with a leadoff single and later scored the game’s first run on a RBI single by Boldt. The Huskers pushed their lead to 2-0 when Jake Schleppenbach scored on a wild pitch from Indiana State starter David Stagg.
The Sycamores tied the game with a run in both the fourth and fifth innings, including a solo home run from Jacob Hayes in the fourth that bounced off the right-field foul pole.
After Chesnut retired the Sycamores in order in both the sixth and seventh innings, the Huskers regained the lead in the bottom of the seventh on a two-out single by Boldt that scored Jake Meyers. Meyers got the two-out rally started when he worked a walk, moved to second on a wild pitch and then to third on a balk. After Boldt’s single the Huskers loaded the bases with another single and a walk before Greg Kuhlman put an end to the threat with a ground out.
Colton Howell retired the Sycamores in order in the eighth and then the Huskers added an important insurance run on a one-out single by Placzek that put the Huskers in front 4-2.
Roeder took the mound in the ninth and got a pop out from the first batter he faced, but then Andy Young gave the Sycamores life when he doubled off the left-field wall. Roeder bounced back and struck out Andy DeJesus looking for the second out of the inning. Down to their last out, Indiana State got a RBI single from Kaden Moore and then had the tying run at first base, but Roeder struck out Connor McClain swinging to end the game.
The Huskers and Sycamores wrap up their two-game midweek series tomorrow at 1:35 p.m. Freshman Zack Engelken is scheduled to start for the Huskers, while lefty Trent Lunsford is scheduled to start for Indiana State.