Frost Slugs Huskers Past Sam Houston

Cael Frost clubbed two homers and drove in three runs in Nebraska’s 8-3 win against Sam Houston at the Frisco College Baseball Classic on Friday night.

Nebraska (4-4) scored eight runs on 12 hits, while Sam Houston (2-7) totaled three runs, four hits and an error.

Frost was 2-for-4 at the plate with the two homers, three RBI and a walk. Cayden Brumbaugh went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer, while Devin Nunez, Case Sanderson and Hogan Helligso pieced together two-hit performances. Joshua Overbeek, Gabe Swansen and Will Jesske recorded one hit apiece.

Mason McConnaughey exited the game early due to injury, allowing two runs on a pair of hits with four strikeouts and three walks in 3.2 innings. Jalen Worthley threw the next 1.1 innings, surrendering a run on two hits. Will Walsh improved to 2-1 on the season after dealing four perfect frames with six punchouts.

The Big Red jumped out front in the second inning after Sanderson’s leadoff single up the middle set the table for Frost’s two-run homer that sailed 399 feet into the berm in left field.

The Huskers tacked on one more in the top of the third to stretch the lead to 3-0. A one-walk to Brumbaugh and Sanderson’s second single of the night placed runners on first and third for the NU offense. Carey came through with an RBI groundout that ricocheted off the pitcher and was recovered by the SHSU shortstop for the second out of the inning, but Brumbaugh trotted down the third-base line to make it a three-run game.

Sam Houston plated its first two runs of the night with just one hit in the bottom of the fourth to trim the Huskers’ lead to 3-2. Three straight two-out walks loaded the bases, while Parker Blackman smacked a two-RBI double down the left-field line to bring the ‘Kats within one.

A leadoff double in the bottom of the fifth, followed by a pair of sacrifice hits scored Sam Houston’s third run and tied the game at three with four innings to play.

The NU offense responded immediately, scoring runs in three consecutive innings to grow the lead to 8-3. Frost drilled a 370-foot solo homer in the lazy river beyond the wall in right field to give the Huskers a 4-3 advantage in the top of the sixth.

The Big Red added three runs on a trio of hits in the top of the seventh to extend the lead to 7-3. Overbeek laced a one-out double down the right-field line, before Nunez lined an RBI single through the right side that allowed Overbeek to score from second. Brumbaugh followed Nunez by lifting a 3-2 pitch over the wall down the left-field line for his first career homer.

Three consecutive one-out singles in the top of the eighth from Swansen, Jesske and Helligso added an insurance run for the Huskers and made it an 8-3 game.

Walsh retired the Bearkats in the order in the eight and ninth innings to post a perfect four-inning relief appearance and preserve Nebraska’s 8-3 win on Friday night.

Nebraska continues play at the Frisco College Baseball Classic, as the Huskers take on No. 2 LSU at Riders Field. First pitch between the Big Red and Tigers is set for 4 p.m. CT on www.D1Baseball.com.