Minneapolis – The No. 8 seed Nebraska baseball team (34-23) had a 7-3 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth inning on Thursday afternoon at Target Field, but the No. 5 seed Michigan State Spartans (34-22) exploded for six runs in the frame on its way to a 9-7 victory that eliminated the Huskers from the Big Ten Tournament.

The Huskers entered the game 28-1 on the year when leading after seven innings, but were unable improve to 29-1. Reliever Ben Miller took the mound in the eighth and gave up a walk to Brandon Hughes to start the frame. The bases were quickly loaded following singles by Chad Roskelly and Anthony Checky. Dan Durkin stepped in and Miller issued a four-pitch walk to plated a run. NU went to senior Josh Roeder and NU’s all-time saves leader came into a jam, the bases loaded and no out. With the tying runs on base and the top of MSU’s order coming to the plate, Roeder plated a run with just his third walk of the season before Ryan Krill delivered a grand slam that put the Spartans ahead, 9-7, it was Krill’s 13^th homerun of the season.

MSU reliever Joe Mockbee worked the final 3.2 innings for the Spartans, including a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his sixth win of the season.

The loss ended the careers of seven Husker seniors, including Kyle Kubat, Chance Sinclair, Christian Cox, Austin Darby, Blake Headley, Tanner Lubach and Roeder. Kubat, who was winless in his past eight starts entering Thursday, left the game in line for the win with a 6-3 lead. Kubat was looking to become the 11^th pitcher in school history to reach 20 career wins, but it wasn’t meant to be. In his 43^rd career start, the fifth most in NU history, Kubat went 5.0 innings and allowed three runs on eight hits, while striking out three.

MSU starter Jeff Kinley lasted 4.1 innings in his fifth start of the season. The one-time closer for the Spartans this year allowed five runs on six this and two walks, but did notch six strikeouts.

Kubat retired the first two batters he faced in the bottom of the first before he hit Mark Weist. The HBP came back hurt on the very next pitch of the game, as Blaise Slater launched a two-run homer into the third deck in left field. Former Husker Ryan Richardson then ripped a single before Kubat got a pop out to end the inning.

Down 2-0, the Huskers cut MSU’s lead in half in the top of the second on two hits. Scott Schreiber started the inning with his fourth hit of the tournament and was soon in scoring position on a groundout by Headley. Miller then came through with a single that put runners on the corners and Jake Placzek drove in Schreiber with a sacrifice fly to left field. Darby worked a walk with two outs and Jake Meyers nearly came through with a two-out RBI, but Checky made a running catch in the left-field gap to end the frame.

The Spartans had their next scoring opportunity in the fourth when they had a runner on second with two outs after Checky was hit-by-pitch. Facing MSU’s No. 9 hitter, Kory Young, Kubat got an inning-ending ground ball to Headley at third, keeping MSU’s lead to 2-1.

After Kubat got out of the jam, NU’s offense went to work in the top of the fifth with five runs on five hits and two walks. Placzek got the inning started with a single and after Darby struck out, got himself in scoring position by stealing second base. Meyers then worked a walked and Luis Alvarado singled to load the bases for Jake Schleppenbach. The Lincoln native lined the first pitch he saw into right field for a game-tying RBI single. MSU went to lefty reliever Anthony Misiewicz to face Lubach and the junior walked in a run to put the Huskers ahead 3-2. The Spartans again made a call to the pen and right hander Walter Borkovich got Schreiber to foul out. With two out and the bases still loaded, Headley worked a full count before driving a two-RBI single into left field. Miller, the ninth batter of the inning, followed with a RBI single to push NU’s lead to 6-2. Placzek stepped in for his second at-bat of the inning with two runners in scoring position and Borkovich put an end to the bleeding with a strikeout.

Working with the lead for the first time all day, Kubat faced the top of MSU’s lineup in the bottom of the fifth. He retired the first two batters before giving up a single to Weist and then he hit Salter. Kubat dug in and got a 1-3 groundout from Richardson to keep NU’s four-run lead intact.

Kubat took the mound in the sixth but wouldn’t record an out, as he was replaced by Jeff Chesnut after giving up consecutive singles to start the inning. With runners on the corners, Chesnut got a 5-3 groundout of the bat of Checky, but the grounder was slow enough to score Hughes on the play. MSU went to pinch hitter, Durkin, who lined an infield single off of Chesnut to again put runners on the corners. With the top of the order up and one down, Cam Gibson came to the plate as the tying run. Gibson got a 3-1 hitters count, but Chesnut made the pitch he needed and got a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning with the Huskers ahead 6-3.

The Husker offense got the run back in the seventh with one hit and a pair of sacrifices. Schreiber led off the frame with his sixth hit of the tournament and with Headley up Schreiber took second on a wild pitch Mockbee. Headley then laid down a sacrifice bunt that moved Schreiber to third and Miller drove him in with a sacrifice fly to deep right field that gave NU a 7-3 lead.

Colton Howell took the mound for NU in the eighth and gave up a one-out walk, but nothing else, and struck out Richardson to keep the Husker lead a 7-3 through seven.

With three runs on eight hits through the first seven innings, the Spartans scored six runs in the eighth on four hits and three walks to retake the lead for good.

Minneapolis – The No. 8 seed Nebraska baseball team (34-22) had a 2-0 lead after the top of the sixth, but the No. 1 seed Illinois Fighting Illini (46-6-1) scored the game’s final three runs for a 3-2 victory in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday night at Target Field. With the win, the No. 5 nationally ranked Illini extended their winning streak to 27 games, the longest streak in the country this season.

After the Illini took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, they turned the ball over to Big Ten Pitcher-of-the-Year Tyler Jay, who retired the Huskers in order in the ninth for his 13^th save of the season.

The Huskers entered the game with a 25-4 record on the year when outhitting their opponent and out-hit the Illini 9-7, but couldn’t get the extra hits they needed late. Nebraska also fell to 0-6 on the year in games decided by one-run against Big Ten teams.

Freshman Scott Schreiber was 3-for-4 at the plate and drove in a run, while Tanner Lubach was 2-for-4 with a double. Freshman Luis Alvarado also added a RBI on the day, his fourth extra-base hit off Illini pitching in the last week after he produced two doubles and home run in Champaign, Ill., during last week’s conference series.

Two-time All-Big Ten pitcher Chance Sinclair made his 31^st career start on Wednesday night and gave the Huskers 5.2 strong innings, as he allowed two runs on four hits and two walks, while striking out four. Sinclair allowed one hit over the first five innings, with three of Illinois’ four hits off of Sinclair coming in the sixth.

Junior Kevin Duchene, an unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection on Tuesday, started for the Illini and went 6.2 innings. Duchene allowed two runs on eight hits and two walks, while striking out five Huskers. It was the first time Duchene has allowed more than five hits in a start since April 17, when he gave up 10 hits to Indiana.

Nebraska had the game’s first runner in scoring position with two out in the second after Schreiber roped a single and then moved to second when Ben Miller drew the 11^th walk of the season off Duchene in 84.2 innings. Jake Placzek stepped in an worked a 3-1 count and got a pitch to hit, but it resulted in a fly ball to left field to end the frame.

Illinois had its leadoff batter on base for the first time in the fourth when Ryan Nagle reached on a walk, but he didn’t advance any more. Sinclair responded with back-to-back strikeouts before Wes Edrington made a bare-handed play on a slow roller off the bat of Casey Fletcher to end the inning.

The Huskers offense was in position to score again in the fifth, but Duchene dug in. Schreiber led off with a single and then Placzek blasted a one-out double to put two runners on scoring position. Duchene got a shallow fly out off the bat of Edrington that wasn’t deep enough to score Schreiber and struck out Ryan Boldt swinging to end the Husker threat.

Sinclair retired the Illini in order in the fifth and the Husker offense finally broke through in the top of the sixth. Lubach got NU going with a one-out double to right-center field and scored the first run of the game when Alvarado doubled down the left-field line. The hits kept coming, as Blake Headley delivered a groundball single that put runners on the corners. Schreiber stepped in an worked an 11-pitch at-bat, delivering a RBI single on the 11^th pitch to put the Husker onto 2-0.

The lead didn’t last long, as Illinois answered with two runs of its own in the bottom of the sixth. Ryne Roper started the inning with a single to set the table for the top of the NU lineup. Sinclair came back with a strikeout of Adam Walton before Nagle and Reid Roper each singled, with Ryne Roper scoring on the single by his older brother. Jason Goldstein then tied the game with a sacrifice fly and Sinclair was in position to get out of the inning, but Headley committed an error to put runners on first and second. The Huskers went to Jeff Chesnut out of the pen for his 30^thappearance of the season and the junior right hander struck out Pat McInerney swinging to keep the game tied, 2-2, through six innings.

Placzek led off the seventh with a walk and was soon in scoring position for the top of NU’s lineup following a sacrifice bunt by Edrington. Duchene struck out Boldt for this third time and with two down the Illini went to right-handed reliever Nick Blackburn to face Jake Meyers. Nebraska countered with pinch-hitter Austin Darby and Blackburn won the battle with an inning-ending strikeout.

The Huskers had their leadoff man on in the seventh when Lubach started the frame with a single, his second hit of the game. Blackburn quickly cleared the bases with a double play off the bat of Alvarado, and then Headley lined out to Walton at shortstop to end the inning.

Illinois got their leadoff man on in the bottom of the eighth with an infield single by Reid Roper and he later scored to put Illinois ahead 3-2 on a single by McInerney. After Goldstein laid down a sacrifice to put two runners in scoring position, the Huskers loaded the bases with an intentional walk to Fletcher. McInerney delivered a single that found its way through the right side of the infield to give Illini the lead. David Kerian and Will Krug then grounded out to end the inning.

Facing the bottom of NU’s lineup, Jay needed just seven pitches to polish off the comeback win for Illinois.

Nebraska returns to Target Field tomorrow for an elimination game against 1 p.m. The Huskers will play the loser of tonight’s 9 p.m. game between Michigan State and Maryland. Tomorrow’s game will be streamed liver on BTN Plus.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska reserve defensive back Boaz Joseph has been fined $300 for marijuana possession.

Joseph had a charge for possession of drug paraphernalia dropped during his sentencing Tuesday in Lancaster County Court.

University police last month found marijuana in a tobacco tin in Joseph’s room at his Lincoln apartment. Officers were there to execute a search warrant in connection with an unrelated fraud investigation. Two other people were ticketed for having drugs and paraphernalia.

Coach Mike Riley has not commented on the case.

Joseph had been ticketed last June for bike theft in Lincoln. That case was dismissed in December after he completed a pre-trial diversion program.

 

 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A domestic assault charge against a former University of Nebraska football coach has been dismissed.

Online court records filed Monday say Rick Kaczenski (kuh-ZIHN’-skee) decided to participate in the Community Corrections Diversion Program, so Lancaster County prosecutors in Lincoln agreed to dismiss the misdemeanor charge. The charge can be refiled if he doesn’t complete the program.

In March Lincoln officers were sent to a Lincoln home to check a report about a domestic argument. Officers found a woman with a cut to her forehead and scratches to her face and neck. Officers say Kaczenski had thrown a picture frame at the 33-year-old woman.

The 40-year-old Kaczenski was the Huskers’ defensive line coach from 2012 through 2014. He joined Nebraska after five years as the University of Iowa’s defensive line coach.

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten on Tuesday announced the 2015 Baseball All-Big Ten teams and individual award winners, as selected by the conference coaches. Illinois’ David Kerian was named Player of the Year, while teammate Tyler Jay garnered Pitcher of the Year accolades. Michigan’s Jake Bivens took home Freshman of the Year honors, while Fighting Illini mentor Dan Hartleb was tabbed Coach of the Year.

Kerian becomes the ninth Illinois standout to claim Big Ten Player of the Year honors, and the first since Justin Parr in 2013. Kerian currently leads the Big Ten in batting average (.383), home runs (13), slugging percentage (.661) and on-base percentage (.467). As Illinois’ starting first baseman, Kerian also paced the Big Ten in putouts (227) during conference play.

Jay becomes the fourth Illinois hurler to earn Big Ten Pitcher of the Year accolades, and the first since Andy Dickinson in 2001. The Illini’s left-handed closer currently leads the Big Ten in earned run average (0.67) and opponents’ batting average (.161), while ranking second in saves with 12. In 26 appearances, he has finished 24 games for Illinois this season. Entering the postseason, Jay has tallied 62 strikeouts against just six walks.

Bivens becomes the third Wolverine to capture Big Ten Freshman of the Year plaudits, joining Scott Weaver in 1993 and Jason Alcaraz in 1996. He currently ranks sixth in the conference in batting average (.351) and second in on-base percentage (.461). Bivens paces the Big Ten with 12 sacrifice bunts, and has drawn 28 walks on the season.

Hartleb becomes the second Illinois mentor to earn Big Ten Coach of the Year honors. Richard “Itch” Jones was named the Coach of the Year in 1998 and 2005. Hartleb guided Illinois to its 30th Big Ten Championship this season, the Illini’s first outright title since 2005. Illinois enters the Big Ten Tournament on a school-record 26-game winning streak, the longest streak in the nation this season.

The Big Ten also announced the Sportsmanship Award honorees from each institution. The student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. These student-athletes must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.

Eight members of the Nebraska baseball team were honored by the Big Ten Conference on Tuesday morning, including Tanner Lubach, Chance Sinclair and Ryan Boldt, who were each tabbed as second-team All-Big Ten performers by the league’s coaches. Josh Roeder earned third-team honors, while Scott Schreiber, Luis Alvarado and Garett King were all named to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team. Senior Blake Headley was Nebraska’s representative on the Sportsmanship Team.

After earning all-freshman honors last season, Boldt was one of three outfielders tabbed on the second team. Entering the Big Ten Tournament, Boldt leads the Huskers in average (.350), hits (75) and runs (45). Boldt’s 75 hits are tied for third in the league with

Michigan’s Carmen Benedetti. Boldt also ranks seventh in the league in batting average and is 10th in runs scored.

Lubach didn’t get off to the start he wanted in his senior year, going 0-for-18 to start the season, but then went got rolling. In his 41 games since, Lubach is hitting .348 (55-for-158) with eight doubles, one triple, four home runs and 19 multi-hit performances. On the year, Lubach is second on the team with a .315 average and is third on the team in RBIs with 25. Over NU’s last 10 games, Lubach has played in nine and leads on the team with a .467 average (14-for-30). Lubach has also been one of the best defensive catchers in the league. For his career, Lubach has thrown out 43 base runners, which ranks second all-time at Nebraska to Cory Burleson’s 46.

Sinclair earned All-Big Ten honors for the second straight season after being a first-team selection last year. While Sinclair’s record doesn’t show it, he has arguably been better this year. The right hander has allowed nine more hits this season (89 to 80), but has issued fewer walks (19 to 24) and struck out 18 more hitters (64 to 46).

Roeder earned All-Big Ten honors following another stellar season working as Nebraska’s closer. The Plano, Texas, native set a new career record at Nebraska this season for saves and enters the tournament with 33 career saves. He now needs on more save to tie Brett Jensen’s single season record of 16 saves. This season, Roeder has converted 15 saves in 16 chances. His only blown save of the year was the result of a unearned run that scored on a two-out error.

Nebraska’s three freshman that were honored were all major contributors to the team this year. King served as Nebraska’s Tuesday starter and the Huskers were a perfect 8-0 in games he started. The Anaheim Hills, Calif., native has posted a 4-1 record with a 3.55 ERA in 50.2 innings entering the Big Ten Tournament.

Schreiber has split time at first base this season and has played in 38 games, including 36 starts. Schreiber is tied for third on the team with three home runs, while also notching two doubles, two triples and 17 RBIs.

Alvarado joined the Huskers from Salinas, Puerto Rico, and has been part of the rotation in left field this season. Alvarado is hitting .300 in the year in 33 games, including 23 starts. He ended the regular season with five doubles and one home run, with two of the doubles and his home run coming last week at Illinois.

The Huskers open postseason play tomorrow at Target Field, when they take on the Illinois Fighting Illini in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament at 5:05 p.m. The game will be carried on the Big Ten Network.

The complete list of All-Big Ten teams and award winners can be found below.

ALL-BIG TEN FIRST TEAM
C – Jason Goldstein, ILL
1B – David Kerian, ILL
2B – Brandon Lowe, MD
SS – Adam Walton, ILL
3B – Mark Weist, MSU
OF – Casey Fletcher, ILL
OF – Jackson Glines, MICH
OF – Pat Porter, OSU
DH – CARMEN BENEDETTI, MICH
SP – KEVIN DUCHENE, ILL
SP – Blake Hickman, IOWA
SP – MIKE SHAWARYN, MD
RP – TYLER JAY, ILL

ALL-BIG TEN SECOND TEAM
C – Tanner Lubach, NEB
1B – Ryan Krill, MSU
2B – Jacob Cronenworth, MICH
SS – Michael Handel, MINN
3B – Jose Cuas, MD
OF – Eric Toole, IOWA
OF – Ryan Boldt, NEB
OF – Troy Montgomery, OSU
DH – Scott Donley, IND
SP – Drasen Johnson, ILL
SP – Calvin Mathews, IOWA
SP – Chance Sinclair, NEB
RP – Nick Hibbing, IOWA

ALL-BIG TEN THIRD TEAM
C – Kevin Martir, MD
1B – Tyler Peyton, IOWA
2B – Reid Roper, ILL
SS – Nick Roscetti, IOWA
3B – Travis Maezes, MICH
OF – Ryan Nagle, ILL
OF – Craig Dedelow, IND
OF – Tom Marcinczyk, RU
DH – Pat McInerney, ILL
SP – John Kravetz, ILL
SP – Brett Adcock, MICH
SP – Ryan Riga, OSU
RP – Josh Roeder, NEB

ALL-BIG TEN FRESHMAN TEAM*
C – Chad Roskelly, MSU
1B – SCOTT SCHREIBER, NEB
2B – Grant Peikert, NU
SS – Jake Bivens, MICH
3B – Isaiah Pasteur, IND
OF – Logan Sowers, IND
OF – Brandon Hughes, MSU
OF – Luis Alvarado, NEB
DH – Drew Lugbauer, MICH
SP – Ryan Nutof, MICH
SP – Andrew Gonzalez, MSU
SP – Garett King, NEB
SP – Adam Niemeyer, OSU
RP – Bryan Pall, MICH

SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD HONOREES
Will Krug, Illinois
Will Nolden, Indiana
Kris Goodman, Iowa
Robert Galligan, Maryland
Eric Jacobson, Michigan
Ryan Krill, Michigan State
Lance Thonvold, Minnesota
Blake Headley, Nebraska
Cody Stevens, Northwestern
Pat Porter, Ohio State
James Coates, Penn State
Joe Eichmann, Purdue
Joe D’Annunzio, Rutgers

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
David Kerian, ILL

PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Tyler Jay, ILL

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Jake Bivens, MICH

COACH OF THE YEAR
Dan Hartleb, ILL

Unanimous honorees in ALL CAPS
*additional honoree due to tie

Wednesday, May 20 (5:05 p.m.)
Probable Starters: RHP Sinclair (6-7) vs. LHP Duchene (10-1)
TV: Big Ten Network
Audio Stream: Huskers.com | Video Stream: BTN2Go.com and BTN2Go App
Radio: Husker Sports Network

Minneapolis – After the Nebraska baseball team (34-21, 9-14 Big Ten) finished the 2015 regular season at Illinois (45-6-1, 21-1 Big Ten) last week, the two teams will meet again in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. The No. 8 seed Huskers and the No. 1 seed Illini are scheduled to play at 5:05 p.m. on Wednesday at Target Field, with the game carried nationally on the Big Ten Network.

The Huskers dropped the first two games of the series last week in Champaign, but had a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth in the finale before it was canceled due to rain. Since the game was only in the fourth inning it was not a complete game and it’s as if the game never happened.

The winner of Wednesday’s opening-round game will play on Thursday at 9 p.m., while the loser will fall into an elimination game at 1 p.m. on Thursday. The winner/loser will meet winner/loser between No. 4 Maryland and No. 5 Michigan State, who play at  9:05 p.m. on Wednesday night, and that game will be carried on BTN.

Nebraska comes into the Big Ten Tournament with NCAA Tournament hopes still within reach, but the Huskers need to make a deep run in Minneapolis. Nebraska was great at Hawks Field this season with a 21-6 record, but they have struggled on the road with a 13-15 mark, including a 4-3 record in neutral site games. The Huskers are 9-4 all-time at the Big Ten Tournament, but have never faced Illinois.

The Illini enter the tournament as the No. 5 team in the country (D1Baseball) and are on a 26-game winning streak, the longest in the country this season. Illinois captured its 30th Big Ten title last Thursday with a win  over the Huskers, the Illini’s first since 2011 when they split with Michigan State. The Illini are 6-2 on the year when playing at a neutral site.

The Huskers and Illini have met 12 times since 1897 and the series is tied at 6-6. Illinois’ series win over the Huskers last week marked the first time the Illini have taken a series from Nebraska, as the Huskers had won the first three series between he two teams. Nebraska and Illinois first met in 1897, with the Illini winning 14-9, and the two clubs didn’t meet again until 2012 when Nebraska hosted Illinois for its first ever Big Ten game on March 23, 2012. The Illini won the opener, 11-3, but the Huskers responded with victories in the final two games to win the series.

The Husker football team will open its 2017 season against Arkansas State at Memorial Stadium. The Nebraska Athletics Department announced the latest addition to the Huskers’ future non-conference schedule on Monday.

The Red Wolves will visit Lincoln on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, kicking off the 2017 campaign. The game will mark the third all-time meeting between the schools, with Arkansas State also playing at Memorial Stadium in 2009 and 2012. Nebraska defeated the Red Wolves 38-9 in 2009, and won 42-13 in the 2012 matchup.

Arkansas State has played in a bowl game five times since making the move to the FBS ranks. The Red Wolves have played in the postseason each of the past four years and have won three Sun Belt Conference titles in the past four seasons. In addition to its 2017 trip to Lincoln, Arkansas State has upcoming non-conference games against USC, Missouri, Auburn and Miami among others.

The addition of Arkansas State completes Nebraska’s 2017 schedule. The Huskers’ non-conference schedule also includes a Sept. 9 game at Oregon and a matchup with Northern Illinois at Memorial Stadium on Sept. 16, 2017. The Huskers will also play nine Big Ten Conference games in 2017, including home contests against Rutgers, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Northwestern and Iowa.

The agreement with Arkansas State completes Nebraska’s schedules through the 2019 season. The Huskers will play four non-conference games and eight Big Ten games in 2015, before the conference shifts to a nine-game conference schedule in 2016.

Baton Rouge, La. – The Nebraska softball team fought to the very end with No. 5 national seed LSU on the Tigers’ home field, but the Huskers came up just short in a season-ending 3-2, 10-inning loss on Saturday night.

Both teams plated a single run in the fourth inning and LSU scored twice in the top of the 10th inning. The Huskers answered with one run in the bottom of the 10th inning and had the tying and winning runs on base with one out, but NU could not complete the rally.

Junior right-hander Emily Lockman (18-14) was the hard-luck loser in one of the best outings of her career. Lockman went more than 7.0 innings for the first time in her career, allowing only two earned runs in 10.0 innings.

With the loss, Nebraska ended its season with a 35-23 record. LSU (46-12) will need to defeat No. 23 Arizona State twice on Sunday to advance to the NCAA Super Regional.

Offense was hard to come by all night long. A Husker error helped LSU take a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth. Bianka Bell reached on an error and then scored on a two-out, RBI single from Sandra Simmons.

Nebraska answered right back to tie the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth. Junior Kiki Stokes led off with a single before sophomore MJ Knighten laid down a bunt just in front of home plate. LSU catcher Kellsi Kloss waited to see if the ball would roll foul but it stayed fair and not only did Knighten wind up safe at first with a bunt single, but Stokes went all the way to third on the play. With runners at the corners and none out, junior Alicia Armstrong scored Stokes with a sacrifice fly to left. Nebraska had a chance to take the lead with runners at first and second and one out, but the Huskers grounded into an inning-ending double play for the second time in three innings.

LSU threatened again in the top of the fifth. A leadoff walk was followed by a one-out single. Bailey Landry then hit a deep fly ball to left field where sophomore Kat Woolman made a great catch while dealing with the wall and a strong breeze that was pushing the ball away from her. Nebraska then intentionally walked Bell to load the bases before Lockman escaped the jam by coaxing a ground ball back to the circle.

In the sixth inning, LSU was unable to convert a one-out double in the top of the frame, and the Huskers could do nothing with a two-out bunt single from Armstrong in the bottom of the inning.

Neither team got another runner into scoring position until the bottom of the ninth, when Armstrong reached on a two-out infield single and stole second before a strikeout sent the game to the 10th inning.

LSU put a runner into scoring position in the top of the 10th on a one-out walk and a fielder’s choice where no out was recorded. Kloss then delivered an RBI single to give the Tigers the lead and Sahvannah Jaquish added a two-out, RBI single to put LSU in front 3-1.

In the bottom of the frame, sophomore Cassie McClure led off with her second single of the game. Freshman Madi Unzicker then delivered a pinch-hit single through the right side. A fielder’s choice left runners at first and third with one out before freshman Laura Barrow blooped an RBI single to shallow left field. With the lead cut to 3-2 and runners on first and second, LSU went to the bullpen and called on Carly Hoover. Facing Nebraska’s two .400 hitters, Hoover coaxed a pop out from Stokes and a fly out from Knighten to earn her third save of the year.

Allie Walljasper (14-5) earned the win for LSU, allowing two runs on eight hits in 9.1 innings. Nebraska out-hit LSU, 8-7.

Champaign, Ill. – The Nebraska baseball team held a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when rain put the game into a delay at 3:16 p.m. The teams waited for nearly two hours for the weather to clear, but at 5:07 p.m. the game was called. Since the fifth inning had not been completed, it’s like the game had never been played. The game will not be finished and the Huskers end the regular season with a 34-21 overall record, including a 9-14 Big Ten record.

With the regular season in the books, the Huskers now head to Minneapolis where they will complete in the Big Ten Tournament. The No. 8 seed Huskers will practice at Target Field on Tuesday at 5 p.m. and then will play No. 1 seed Illinois on Wednesday at 5:05 p.m.

Illinois took an early lead with a run in the first and an unearned run in the second. Trailing 2-0, freshman Elijah Dilday got the Huskers doing with a leadoff double in the third and then the Huskers had runners on the corners following a bunt single by Jake Placzek. Ryan Boldt drove in Dilday with sacrifice fly to cut Illinois’ lead in half. Placzek quickly moved to third when he stole second and moved to third on a throwing error by catcher Jason Goldstein. With a runner on third and one out, the Huskers couldn’t even the game, as John Kravetz got a shallow pop out from Jake Schleppenbach and a warning-track fly out from Tanner Lubach to end the inning.

Just like the third, the Huskers got a double to start the fourth with Blake Headley delivering a two-bagger. Two batters later Alvarado drove in Headley with a one-out single and Alvarado moved to second on a groundout by Austin Christensen. Dilday came calling again and the freshman stroked a two-out RBI single that gave NU its first lead of the day at 3-2. Placzek followed with another two-out single before Kravetz struck out Boldt looking to end the Husker rally.

Derek Burkamper took the mound in the bottom of the fourth and had a full-count on leadoff batter David Kerian when the game was put into a delay.

2015 Big 10 Baseball Tournament Bracket