Huskers fall flat in 7-3 loss to PSU
Nebraska came into its weekend home series with Penn State knowing that even though there was still just over a week left in the regular season, the reality was that the Huskers were already playing for their postseason lives.
Needless to say, things didn’t get off to a very promising start in a 7-3 loss to the Nittany Lions on Friday at Haymarket Park.
A costly third inning got starting pitcher Derek Burkamper in an early hole, and NU’s bats couldn't come up with enough clutch hits on a chilly night in front of a crowd of 3,179.
As a result, the Huskers fell to 31-18 overall and 11-8 in Big Ten Conference play.
"Penn State played great," head coach Darin Erstad said. "They out-pitched us, out-hit us. They made some nice plays defensively... We just got outplayed."
Penn State got things going in the top of the third when No. 9 hitter Ryan Sloniger hit a lead-off single and then Nick Riotto followed up with a bloop single that NU’s middle infield lost in the sun. A sac bunt moved the runners to second and third, and a sac fly by Jim Haley scored Sloniger for the first run of the night.
Penn State then caught a break when Willie Burger struck out swinging and appeared to kick the ball foul after it bounced out of catcher Taylor Fish’s glove. Because the umpires ruled the kick was unintentional, Burger advanced to first and Nick Riotto scored from third to make it 2-0.
"Whether he kicked it or not, that's the umpire's discretion," Erstad said. "I'm more concerned that we didn't finish the play. We have to finish the play... Those are just runs we can't let happen."
The Nittany Lions got on the board again in the top of the fourth, as a single up the middle by Sloniger scored James Coats from second to push their lead to 3-0.
Reliever Robbie Palkert eventually came on to start the sixth, ending Burkamper’s night after 5.0 innings, having given up three earned runs on six hits with four walks and a strikeout.
"He was plenty off," Erstad said of Burkamper. "Four walks in five innings, and he was behind in the count I don't know how many times. He didn't have his ability to get his breaking ball over for a strike early in counts, and once they get baserunners on they can get active. We weren't able to do that, they were."
Fish opened the bottom of the seventh with a four-pitch walk, and then Steven Reveles walked two batters later to get two on with one out. Jesse Wilkening came in to pinch hit for Jake Schleppenbach, and the freshman came through with an RBI single to score Reveles and cut the deficit to 3-1.
The rally would come to an abrupt end from there, however, as Jake Placzek grounded into a 5-4-3 double play to end what looked to be a very promising inning for the Huskers.
In the very next frame in the top of the eighth, Greg Guers all but put the game away with a three-run bomb over the right field wall to push the lead back up to a commanding 6-1. The home run was Guers’ sixth of the season.
Nebraska made one last push in the bottom of the eighth when Boldt walked and Jake Meyers singled to open the inning, and Ben Miller ripped an RBI single to right to make it 6-2. Scott Schreiber followed that up with an RBI single of his own up the middle to get it to 6-3 with no outs.
Luis Alvarado then caught a break by reaching on an error by PSU second baseman Connor Klemann to load the bases, but the Nittany Lions made up for it when Reveles grounded into an inning-ending and rally-killing 6-4-3 double play.
Penn State added another insurance run in the top of the ninth by pulling a double steal and getting Coats home after an errant throw to third by Fish, making it 7-3.
Placzek scored from second on a throwing error by the shortstop Conlin Hughes to get it to 7-4 in the bottom of the ninth, but it was far too little, too late.
Starter Nick Hedge (5-2) got the win for Penn State after throwing an impressive game, allowing three runs off seven hits with five strikeouts and four walks over seven innings. Burkamper was credited with the loss to drop to 5-2 on the year.
Nebraska will return to action for game two of the series on Saturday, with first pitch set for a 2:05 p.m. Matt Waldron (5-2) is scheduled to get the start for the Huskers in the second matchup against PSU’s Sal Biasi (5-4). The game will be televised locally on NET.
As a reminder, Sunday’s third game has been moved up to an 11:35 a.m. start due to travel schedules.