Nebraska pitchers surrendered 12 walks and hit three batters to pave the way for No. 7 Auburn to stroll to a 12-3, series-clinching victory Sunday in Auburn, Ala.
The bottom of the eighth was emblematic of struggles of Cornhuskers pitchers to find the strike zone. After Jace Ziola walked two and hit another to start the inning, Cooper Grace entered from the bullpen and surrendered three straight bases-loaded walks, allowing three runs. Caleb Clark was summoned from the bullpen and induced a double play on which a run scored, then got Nebraska out of the inning without further damage. But by then, the Tigers had scored four runs with no hits and while putting just two balls in play: the double-play ball and the inning-ending groundout.
It started rough for Nebraska as well. Auburn tallied a run in the first and four in the second. After two Huskers runs in the top of the fourth, the Tigers tallied a run in the bottom of the fourth to push the lead back to four, 6-2 Auburn. The Tigers scored two more runs in the seventh to build the lead to 8-2. After a Nebraska run in the top of the eighth, Auburn posted four more runs to punctuate the win.
The Huskers return to Hawks Field for their home opener Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. against South Dakota State. Pregame coverage begins at 1 p.m. on KLIN.