Omaha – The Nebraska baseball team (20-9, 5-1 Big Ten) picked up its 20th win of the year on Wednesday at Werner Park with a 11-6 victory over the Omaha Mavericks (15-14, 6-3 Summit).
Nebraska’s 11 runs were scored on just five RBIs. Two runs scored on wild pitches, two scored on passed balls, another crossed the plate on a two-out error and one scored on a double play.
All nine Husker batters scored a run and had a hit on the night, including multiple hits from Ben Miller, Scott Schreiber, Jake Meyers and Angelo Altavilla, who was making his first career start. Miller lead the way with a 3-for-6 night at the plate, including his ninth double of the season, his sixth three-hit game on the year.
The Huskers stole five bases, including three by Jake Meyers. It was the first time a Husker stole three bags in a game since Feb. 21, 2010, when Boomer Collins did it against Fresno State.
After the Huskers stranded a pair of two-out singles in the top of the first, the Mavs took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the frame on a home run. NU starter Zack Engelken struck out leadoff hitter Alex Schultz looking, but then gave up a solo home run to Cole Gruber. Engelken limited the damage with two quick outs, including a strikeout to end the frame.
The Huskers got on the board and took the lead in the top of the third. Jake Placzek led off with a single and moved to second on a one-out single by Schreiber. Then with Meyers batting, Omaha starter Shane Metz let loose a pair of wild pitches allowing Placzek to score and Schreiber to move to third. Meyers delivered a RBI single, giving NU a 2-1 lead.
A leadoff walk came back to hurt the Huskers in the bottom of the third, as Schultz started the frame with a four-pitch walk and then tied the game at 2-2, when he scored on a one-out single by Clayton Taylor. Following another single, the Huskers went to Derek Burkamper and the junior needed just three pitches to a get an inning-ending 5-3 double play.
Altavilla started a rally for the Husker in the top of the fourth with a one-out single, his first hit as a Husker. Ryan Boldt followed with his seventh double of the season and the Huskers had two runners in scoring position. Placzek came through with a sacrifice fly that put the Huskers ahead, 3-2, and then Boldt scored on a costly two-out error by second baseman Sam Palensky. Omaha got one run back in the bottom of the frame on a one-out single by Schultz.
The Huskers loaded the bases with one out in the fifth and then scored twice without getting a hit. After reliever Colton Adams loaded the bases on a pair of singles and a hit-by-pitch, David Flattery came in and issued a four-pitch walk to Altavilla, scoring Meyers. Flattery then struck out Boldt looking for the second out, but then Fish scored on a passed to put the Huskers ahead by three, 6-3.
For the third straight inning the Mavs scored a run in the bottom of a frame after Nebraska had scored two in the top of the inning. Taylor started the UNO’s fifth with a single and later scored on Palensky’s two-out single. Nebraska got the run back in the top of sixth on another wild pitch. With two out and a runner on second, Flattery struck out Luis Alvarado swinging on a breaking ball in the dirt, but the ball got away from catcher Josh Scribner. Not only did Alvarado reach first, but Meyers scored all the way from second to give NU a 7-4 lead.
Following a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth from Byron Hood, Nebraska added a run in the seventh. Reveles led off with a double and then stole third base, NU’s third steal of the night. With Altavilla batting, a passed by Scribner allowed Reveles to score.
With an 8-4 lead, Hood struck out his third straight batter to start the bottom of the eighth, but then walked Taylor and the Huskers went to Jeff Chesnut, who made his 78th career appearance, tying him for fifth all-time at NU. Chesnut walked his first batter and then gave up a bloop single to load the bases. A RBI groundout cut NU’s lead to 8-5 and Chesnut put an end to the rally with strikeout.
The Huskers loaded the bases in the eighth and got a pair of runs. Reveles ground into a double play, but a run scored, and Altavilla came through with a two-out RBI single, his second RBI of the night.
The Mavs got a run in the bottom of the eighth on a one-out double by Schultz, but Nebraska got it back in the ninth. Miller roped a one-out double and looked like he’d be stranded after Schreiber fouled out for the second out of the inning. Reliever Riley Sweeney then hit Meyers, walked Alvarado and hit Fish to plate a run.
Chad Luensmann finished the game with a 1-2-3 ninth.
Nebraska will be back at Hawks Field this weekend for a three-game series against the Northwestern Wildcats. The three-game set starts at 6:35 p.m. on Friday night.