NU's luck runs out in 4-2 loss to No. 24 Michigan State

One day after racking up six runs off nine hits and getting the help of four Michigan State errors in Saturday’s victory, Nebraska’s luck ran out after one inning of play in the second game of the series on Sunday.

The Huskers were able to pick up where they left of in the first frame of the day, scoring two runs off another Spartan error to take an early lead.

But that would be as good as it would get for NU, as it would go scoreless and manage just four more hits the rest of the way for what ended in a 4-2 defeat in East Lansing, Mich.

Michigan State pitcher Joe Mockbee had a career day, throwing seven innings and giving up two runs (only one earned) and five hits while striking out five. Husker starter Matt Waldron battled through for a decent outing, but the offense just wasn’t there to keep Nebraska from falling to 29-17 on the year.

“I thought Matt gave us a chance to win,” head coach Darin Erstad said on his postgame radio show on the Husker Sports Network. “It’s very frustrating, because early on we had a good approach and just did not stick with that. We got what we deserved right there.”

After singles by Jake Placzek and Jake Meyers and a walk by Ben Miller loaded the bases with one out in the top of the first, Spartan center fielder Brandon Hughes dropped a deep fly ball from Taylor Fish that allowed Placzek and Meyers to score the first two runs of the day.

It didn’t take the Spartans long to come up with an answer, however.

Back-to-back RBI singles by Zack McGuire and Marty Bechina in the bottom half of the inning quickly erased the lead and tied the game up at 2-2.

That score would hold on to the bottom of the fourth, when Bechina singled and then advanced all the way to third after a pickoff throw by Waldron nicked off his helmet and rolled all the way up the left field wall.

A sacrifice squeeze bunt by Justin Hovis would score Bechina to give the Spartans their first lead of the day at 3-2.

First baseman Jordan Zimmerman would add to MSU’s lead in the bottom of the fifth with a towering opposite field home run over the right field wall to make it 4-2.

Nebraska’s offense continued to struggle over the next two innings, and Waldron was eventually replaced by reliever Robbie Palkert for the bottom of the seventh.

Waldron ended the day throwing 104 pitches over six innings and giving up four runs (three earned) on 10 hits while striking out five with one walk.

“He was kind of off maybe a little bit early, but his stuff got better as the game went on and his breaking ball started to get really good,” Erstad said. “He’s just a competitor. Like I said, he gave us a chance to win, but unfortunately we weren’t able to get things going.”

Ryan Boldt tried to provide a spark in the top of the eighth with a lead off infield single, but that momentum quickly came to an end when Placzek struck out looking and Boldt was thrown out at second after a botched hit-and-run attempt.

A pair of two-out singles by Bechina and Dan Chmielewski in the bottom of the eighth set up Hovis, who ripped a single to right that had the look of another run for the Spartans. But Bechina was gunned down at the plate on a one-hop throw by Meyers and a nifty tag by the catcher Fish to avoid any additional damage on the scoreboard.

In the Huskers’ final chance at the plate in the top of the ninth, Fish reached on a one-out infield single off of closer Dakota Mekkes. Once again, though, the rally quickly died out.

Luis Alvarado struck out and then pinch hitter Angelo Altavilla flied out to center to end the ball game.

Meyers will get the start for Nebraska in the third game of the series on Monday, while Michigan State’s starter remains to be determined.

“It’s just a commitment to being middle and flat with the fastball out over the plate against a lefty,” Erstad said. “We have a good approach against the righties, but the lefties - gosh, we just refuse to commit to it. Too many guys out front on breaking balls down with two strikes or changeups with two strikes. That just can’t happen. That’s something as a team that we’ve got to be better at.”