Early Deficit Costs Huskers in Game One

Nebraska couldn’t climb out of an early five-run deficit, as the Huskers fell 11-5 vs. Washington in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park.

Nebraska (4-7, 0-1 B1G) scored five runs on 10 hits, while Washington (6-8, 1-0 B1G) totaled 11 runs, 15 hits and two errors.

Gabe Swansen went 2-for-3 at the plate with a home run and three RBI. Rhett Stokes was 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Tyler Stone was 1-for-4 with an RBI double. Devin Nunez, Cayden Brumbaugh, Cael Frost, Dylan Carey and Hogan Helligso had one hit piece.

Ty Horn dropped to 0-2 on the season after allowing seven runs on seven hits across four innings. Jalen Worthley surrendered three runs on three hits in two outs, while Casey Daiss tossed 1.1 shutout innings in relief. Gavin Blachowicz pitched a season-high three innings, allowing just one run on two hits with three strikeouts.

Washington sprinted out to a 5-0 lead behind a trio of hits in the top of the first inning. A plunked batter and a bloop single down the left-field line had runners on first and second with one out, before a two-RBI double into the left-center alley had the Huskies ahead 2-0.

A full-count walk, followed by a first-pitch three-run homer into the home run terrace in right field gave Washington a five-run lead in the first.

Frost drew a walk, and Carey was plunked to put runners on first and second for the Big Red with no outs in the bottom of the second. Swansen came through with an RBI single to right, scoring Frost and making it a 5-1 game through two innings.

The Huskers plated three runs on four hits in the bottom of the fourth to cut the deficit to 5-4. Consecutive singles from Frost and Carey, followed by an RBI double down the left-field line by Stone brought the Big Red within three. Swansen lifted a 3-2 pitch to deep center, allowing Carey to come home and moving Stone over to third.

An RBI bunt single from Stokes scored Stone and made it a 5-4 contest after the first four innings.

Washington responded immediately with five runs on six hits in the top of the fifth to grow the lead to 10-4. A leadoff double, followed by consecutive singles had the bases loaded with no outs for the Huskies. Back-to-back two-RBI doubles enlarged the lead to 9-4, while a two-out RBI double to right-center grew the lead to six for the Huskies.

Consecutive two-out hits, capped off with an RBI double to center stretched the lead to 11-4 in the top of the seventh for Washington.

Swansen belted a solo homer into the left-field berm in the bottom of the eighth for his second homer and team-leading 12th RBI of the season.

Game two of Saturday’s doubleheader is scheduled to begin at approximately 4:35 p.m.