For just the second time since joining the Big Ten Conference, Nebraska baseball has been swept in a three game series in the league.
Both instances have come at the hands of Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights held on for Friday and Saturday wins of 7-5 and 5-4, respectively, before running away with the series finale Sunday 19-1.
Sunday’s loss is the largest in program history since NU played in the Big Eight.
The Huskers gave themselves a chance in all three games.
On Friday, Nebraska trailed just 2-1 before giving up five runs between the fifth and sixth innings. A three-run ninth inning made the game competitive, but Garrett Anglim struck out looking with Griffin Everitt standing on second base.
Saturday saw another late game rally for Big Red. The Huskers scored three runs in the seventh inning to tie the game, but Rutgers posted two in the eighth. NU managed just one run in the bottom of the eighth.
With the tying run standing on second, Everitt hit into a fielder’s choice to end the game.
Then came Sunday.
Down just 3-1 through six innings, the wheels came off in a way unfamiliar to Nebraska baseball fans. Rutgers posted 10 runs in the seventh, one run in the eighth, and five more in the ninth to suck all the air out of a program that just swept their opponent the weekend before.
The Huskers are now 12-18 on the season and 4-5 in the Big Ten. They’ll host Creighton Tuesday.