Husker Baseball team wins seventh straight, extends lead atop Big Ten
Bloomington, Ind (May 23 – NU Athletic Communications) – Senior Chance Hroch recorded his first career complete game on Saturday night at Bart Kaufman Field, leading the Nebraska baseball team to a 3-1 win over the #25 Indiana Hoosiers. The Huskers are now 3-0 in the Bloomington Pod after beating Indiana Friday night and rallying from a seven-run deficit earlier on Saturday against Ohio State for a 11-9.
The Huskers have now won seven straight games and remain in first place in the Big Ten with a 28-11 record, 2.5 games ahead of second-place Michigan. With its two wins over Indiana this weekend, Nebraska has taken the season series form the Hoosiers, 3-1.
Hroch matched a career high with 10 strikeouts and allowed just one run on three hits over 9.0 innings. The Temecula, Calif., native faced the minimum in an inning five times, including the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. Hroch was one out away from a complete-game shutout, but gave up a solo home run to Grant Richardson in the bottom of the ninth.
Freshman Brice Matthews led the Husker offense with a home run, a triple and two RBIs. Matthews has been hot in Bloomington with three extra base hits and six RBIs in three games.
The Husker offense got Hroch a lead in the top of the first on a pair of hits. Jaxon Hallmark picked up the game’s first hit with a one-out single and then scored on a RBI double from Spencer Schwellenbach.
Hroch sat IU down in order in the bottom of the first, including a pair of strikeouts, and then his offense tacked on another run in the top of the second. Following a leadoff strikeout, Mojo Hagge reached on a single up the middle. The Huskers tried to get him into scoring position, but he was thrown out trying steal second base. One pitch later Matthews notched his fifth RBI of the weekend with a no-doubt solo home run to left field.
Working with a 2-0 lead, Hroch retired eight straight to start the game before James Espalin lined a two-out single to center field. Hroch went right back to work and got a groundout to get through the third.
Matthews came calling again in the sixth and triple down the right-field line, plating Hagge on the play, who had reached on an infield single. With a 3-0 lead, Hroch retired the top of Indiana’s lineup in order in the bottom of the sixth.
After walking Jeremy Houston in to start the bottom of the sixth, Hroch sat down 10 straight before allowing the solo home run to Richardson in the ninth. He went right back to work and got an groundout to end the game.
The Husker conclude their trip to Bloomington Sunday at Noon against the Ohio State Buckeyes.