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 41^st 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 19^th 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.

Columbus, Ohio – The Nebraska softball team fell one win short of a Big Ten Tournament title Saturday night, falling to third-ranked Michigan, 6-1, in the championship game at Buckeye Field.

The top-seeded Wolverines swept the Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles, improving to 51-6 on the year. Nebraska, which fell one win short of an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, dropped to 34-21 on the season. The Huskers will learn their postseason fate on Sunday night, when the 2015 NCAA Tournament field is announced.

Michigan jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. A leadoff walk and a bunt single where the Huskers failed to cover first base set the stage for an RBI single and a sacrifice fly.

In the bottom of the frame, senior Steph Pasquale hit a fly ball to deep center, but Sierra Lawrence made a leaping grab to rob Pasquale of extra bases. Senior Kylee Muir then reached on a Wolverine error but Nebraska could not capitalize on the miscue.

Michigan stretched its lead to 6-0 with a four-run fifth inning that was highlighted by a three-run homer from two-time All-American Sierra Romero.

That was more than enough cushion for Wolverine starter Hailey Wagner, who held Nebraska to one run on three hits. The All-American left-hander improved to 21-2. The Wolverines outscored their opponents 31-2 during their three-game path to the title.

Despite allowing six runs, Nebraska received solid pitching outings from sophomore Cassie McClure and freshman Kaylan Jablonski. Michigan was not only held below its season average in runs, but the Wolverines were held without a hit in four of their seven innings. McClure and Jablonski also combined to retire Michigan in order four times.

McClure allowed two runs on only two hits in 2.0 innings in her first career start against a ranked opponent. Jablonski surrendered four runs (three earned) on four hits in 5.0 innings in her postseason debut.

Offensively for Nebraska finished with three hits. Junior Alicia Armstrong singled in the fourth to record the Huskers’ first hit. Then in the seventh, senior Steph Pasquale doubled before McClure lined an RBI single down the left field line to plate freshman pinch runner Taylor Otte with the Huskers’ lone run.

Classmate Kiki Stoke was the only other Husker to earn her way on base, as she was hit by a pitch in the sixth inning and then stole second to give Nebraska its first runner in scoring position on the night. Stokes has been hit by a school-record 17 pitches this season.

Nebraska will travel home on Sunday morning before gathering Sunday evening to watch the NCAA Tournament selection show.

Note: Senior Steph Pasquale and junior Kiki Stokes were named to the Big Ten All-Tournament team.

Lincoln – After having over three inches of standing water on Hawks Field Thursday morning, the Nebraska baseball team (34-17, 9-10 Big Ten) didn’t think it’d be able to host their final home series of the year this weekend against the Purdue Boilermakers (15-34, 2-17 Big Ten). The facility staff worked its magic to get the field ready and the Huskers opened the series at home on Saturday with a 9-6 victory. Nebraska is now tied with Indiana for seventh place in the Big Ten.

Nebraska’s offense pounded out 13 hits off Purdue pitching, as five Huskers had multiple hits on the day. Ryan Boldt led the way with a 3-for-5 performance, his 23^rd multi-hit game of the year and his ninth three-hit game on the season. Boldt has now recorded multiple hits in eight-straight games.

Seniors Austin Darby and Tanner Lubach each added a pair of hits, with Darby recording his second home run of the season in the fifth after Lubach led off the frame with a single.

Josh Roeder closed out the game with a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his 15^th save of the season. Roeder needs one more save this year to match Brett Jensen’s 2005 single-season record of 16 saves.

After Purdue took a 1-0 lead in the first on an unearned run that scored following a pair of NU errors, the Huskers took over with four runs in the second. Darby led off the frame with a walk and then the Huskers reeled off three straight singles. Jake Placzek followed with a sacrifice fly, Boldt delivered NU’s fourth hit of the inning and Blake Headley added a sacrifice fly to give NU a three-run cushion.

Purdue cut Nebraska’s lead to one with a run in both the fourth and fifth, but Darby gave NU’s pitching staff some breathing room with his two-run shot into the visitor’s bullpen in right field in the bottom of the fifth.

The Boilermakers threatened again in the seventh with one run and had the tying runs on base, but Colton Howell took the mound and retired Brandon Krieg with one pitch to end the rally. The Huskers pushed three runs across in the bottom of the frame on just one hit, a two-out double by Jake Schleppenbach that scored Darby. Schleppenbach then scored on a two-out error by left fielder Brett Carlson, who dropped a fly ball off the bat of Placzek.

Facing a 9-4 deficit in the eighth, the Boilermakers kept fighting and scored two runs, but had no chance against Roeder in the ninth. The senior struck out the first two batters he faced and ended the game with a fly out to Darby in right field.

The Huskers and Boilermakers continue their three-game series tomorrow at 1:05 p.m. The Huskers will honor their seven seniors prior to the game.