(Photo Courtesy Stephanie Carpenter/NU Media Relations)
Lincoln – Following a three-hour and 20-minute rain delay for first pitch on Sunday afternoon, Nebraska (34-18, 9-11 Big Ten) and Purdue (16-34, 3-17 Big Ten) started the second game of their three-game series. After notching nine runs on 13 hits in the series opener, the NU offense went cold on Sunday, as it was limited to one run on four hits in a 2-1 defeat.
Senior Kyle Kubat made his 41st career start on and struck out a career-high tying nine over 7.2 innings, but fell to 4-4 on the year. Since posting his 19th career win against Michigan on March 21, Kubat has been in search of win No. 20 over his past seven starts. In the seven starts, Nebraska’s offense has scored an average of 2.0 runs per game. Kubat is now tied with Zach Kroneke, Josh Bullock and John Lepley for fifth place on the Nebraska career starts list.
Purdue’s Gavin Downs allowed one run on four hits over 7.0 innings. The junior right hander let his defense work behind him with only two walks and two strikeouts. Matt Frawley worked a pair of no-hit scoreless innings of relief behind Downs for his first save of the season.
The Huskers had the tying run on base to start the bottom of the ninth when Tanner Lubach was hit-by-pitch. Frawley came back and struck out Austin Darby looking before ending the game with a 4-6-3 double play off the bat of Austin Christensen.
Just like in the opener on Saturday, the Boilermakers took the first lead of the game. Kyle Johnson started the second with a triple to center field and quickly scored when Brett Carlson followed with a single. Kubat limited the damage with a double-play ball and a 6-3 groundout.
Downs retired the first six Huskers he faced before Christian Cox started the bottom of the third with a single up the middle. The senior left fielder took second on a wild pitch by Downs and moved to third on a groundout off the bat of Jake Schleppenbach. Nebraska’s No. 9 hitter, Jake Placzek, stepped in with one down and drove in Cox with a RBI single that evened the game, 1-1.
The Boilermakers quickly jumped back in front with a run on two hits in the fourth. Kyle Wood roped a one-out double and Kubat was in position to strand him at second, but Carlson picked up his second RBI of the game with a single to center field that put Purdue ahead, 2-1.
Nebraska has a runner on in the fourth, fifth, sixth and ninth innings, but was never able to tie the game.
The Huskers will play their final regular-season game of the year at Hawks Field tomorrow afternoon when they conclude their series against the Boilermakers at 1:05 p.m.