Rutgers walks off Nebraska on game-ending error

Nebraska didn't trail for the first 295 pitches Friday afternoon and led Rutgers for nearly the entire contest. But a crucial error on the game's final play sent the Huskers (26-16) to a series-opening loss to Rutgers.

Closer Chad Luensmann entered the ninth inning with a 2-1 lead and quickly retired the first two batters he faced. But a single and a walk put a pair on, then Christian Campbell grounded to third. The game appeared to be over, but third baseman Jake Placzek's errant throw got by first baseman Scott Schreiber and allowed both runners to score, sending the Huskers to a rough 3-2 walk-off loss.

"We struck them out on the pitch before that," Darin Erstad said during his appearance on the Husker Sports Network, referencing a two-strike pitch earlier in the at-bat that was called a ball. "It was a low zone all night and we didn't get it, but we have to be able to fight through that and make a play.

"They played better defense, walked less guys than we did and we weren't able to finish it off."

Nebraska's offense didn't leave much room for error. The Huskers scored a pair of runs in the third on an RBI double by Placzek and a sacrifice fly by Jake Meyers. But Rutgers ace Howie Brey settled in from there, retiring 13 straight at one point and keeping the Huskers from mounting any kind of threat.

Nebraska had just five hits and walked three times.

"The wind is blowing in from left and it's cool," Erstad said. "It's going to be one of those things where the details make the difference. We found a way to get a couple across but weren't able to do much more than that. In a game like this on a Friday, the details are going to be what causes it. We got an opportunity to win, but unfortunately we made two many mistakes."

Despite the paltry attack, Derek Burkamper put the Huskers in a great chance to win. Though he wasn't dominant, Burkamper worked out of a number of jams in his seven innings. He kept the Scarlet Knights off the board outside of a third-inning run, allowing just five hits (though he did issue four walks).

Jake McSteen and Jeff Chesnut combined for a scoreless eighth inning, leading to the ninth. Luensmann, a true freshman, was previously 9-for-9 in save opportunities this season, and his first blown save came at a bad time.

The Huskers have now lost five straight conference games to drop their Big Ten mark to 7-6. NU and Rutgers will play a doubleheader Saturday with the first game beginning at 11 a.m.

"It's going to be a long day tomorrow, but we're going to have to come out and find a way to win a series," Erstad said.

***Chesnut made the 86th appearance of his career, leaving him just one short of tying Steve Hale for the school record.

***Star outfielder Ryan Boldt went 0-for-3 with a walk. Boldt had just three hits in his last 33 at-bats (.090 batting average).