For the 5th time in a row, Nebraska played in a one-score game. This time, they finished it off in style. Junior Braxton Bragg struck out the final four batters of the game, saving a 4-3 win over North Dakota State on Wednesday at Haymarket Park.
Both offenses were frozen after an eventful opening three innings. Nebraska’s bullpen offered 5 1/3 shutout innings in relief of senior starter Dawson McCarville. Freshman righty CJ Hood, from Norris High School, collected his first collegiate win.
Senior captains Griffin Everitt and Cam Chick provided all the run support. Chick reached base all four times, including being hit by pitch three times, a first for NU since Kale Kizer in 2011.
The Bison struck first, plating a run on a pair of hits and an error in the 1st inning.
Griffin Everitt, batting as the DH, smacked his 7th homer of the year to tie things up in the 2nd.
After NDSU answered with a 2-run shot in the top of the 3rd, the Huskers again went deep. This time, CF Cam Chick hit one out to dead center to lead off the home half.
Later in the inning, Griffin Everitt came through once again. With redshirt freshman RF Garrett Anglim on second and sophomore 3B Max Anderson on first and two out, the Lincoln Southwest product knocked an 0-1 pitch down the first base line for a double. Anglim scored easily, and as the NDSU 2nd baseman struggled to collect the throw from the outfield, Anderson hustled home as well.
The 4-3 NU lead held up, thanks to a strong bullpen.
Hood came on with two on and two out in the 4th and got a swinging strikeout to end that threat. He then allowed a pair of his own baserunners in the 5th, only to again escape via the strikeout.
Freshman Chandler Benson worked a scoreless 6th, giving way to fellow lefty Tyler Martin. The senior got a couple outs, but was then bailed out by freshman RHP Corbin Hawkins, who induced an inning-ending pop-up.
After Hawkins allowed a baserunner, Bragg emerged from the pen and struck out all four batters he faced to send the Bison home empty-handed.
Nebraska squandered chances to add some insurance in the 4th and the 7th. Thanks to the relief pitching, they did not need it on this night.
The Huskers now travel to Bloomington, IN to face the Indiana Hoosiers in a 3-game series this weekend.