The offense for the Nebraska baseball team cranked out 14 hits as the Cornhuskers defeated Northeastern, 7-4, Saturday in Mesa, Ariz., at the MLB Desert Invitational. Six Nebraska hitters had two hits, paced by Joshua Overbeek, who was 2-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI.
Dylan Carey was 2-for-5 with a home run for the Huskers (2-0), while Case Sanderson and Max Buettenback each collected two hits including a double. Newcomers Cole Kitchens and Jett Buck also notched two hits for Nebraska.
Carson Jasa (1-0) earned the win, striking out nine while allowing three earned runs in five innings. Grant Cleavinger, Ryan Harrahill and Kevin Mannell combined for three shutout innings out of the bullpen, with Mannell earning his first save as a Husker.
Carey opened the scoring for Nebraska with a home run in the top of the second. The Huskies (0-2) answered with three runs in the bottom of the second. But in the top of the third, Buettenback doubled in two runs, tying the game, then Kitchens singled up the middle to score Buettenback and give the Huskers the 4-3 lead. After the Huskies tallied one in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at four, Overbeek ripped a two-run double in the sixth to take back the lead for Nebraska, while Devin Nunez tacked on a run in the seventh with a sacrifice fly.
The Huskers continue their stay in the desert with a matchup against Grand Canyon Sunday in Mesa, Ariz., at Sloan Park, spring training home of the Chicago Cubs. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at 6 p.m. on KLIN.