Courtesy Nebraska Athletics
No. 20 Nebraska baseball bolted out to a seven-run lead and held on to win over Illinois 12-5 Saturday in Champaign, Ill., evening the weekend series at a game each heading into tomorrow’s rubber game.
The Cornhuskers took the lead in the top of the second with three runs, then doubled their lead to 6-0 in the top of the third. The Fighting Illini scored one in the third, but Nebraska responded with a three-run top of the fourth, pushing the lead to 8-1. Illinois scored one in the bottom of the fourth, then three in the bottom of the seventh to shrink the NU lead to 8-5, but Nebraska put the game away with a run in the eighth and three in the ninth.
Joshua Overbeek led the Huskers offense, hitting 3-for-5 with an RBI. Mac Moyer, Will Jesske and Case Sanderson all had three hits each, while Jett Buck drove in two runs. Carson Jasa (8-1) earned the win, throwing five innings while allowing one earned run. Tucker Timmerman and J’Shawn Unger combined to throw four innings without allowing an earned run. Unger earned his ninth save.
Nebraska will try to win the series against Illinois tomorrow in Champaign, Ill. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m., with pregame coverage at 12:30 p.m. on KLIN.