Courtesy Nebraska Athletics
For the second straight night, the No. 16 Nebraska baseball team struggled at the plate, falling in a 7-3 loss at Ohio State Saturday in Columbus, Ohio.
The Cornhuskers (34-13, 17-6 Big Ten) mustered just four total hits and hit 1-for-11 with runners on and 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. With the win, the Buckeyes (23-21, 12-11 Big Ten) clinched the Big Ten series over NU.
Mason Eckelman got Ohio State on the board with a three-run triple to right in the first inning. Case Sanderson got Nebraska on the board with an RBI single to center in the top of the third, but the Buckeyes answered immediately in the bottom of the inning, as Dane Harvey homered to rebuild the lead to three.
The teams traded runs in the seventh, but in the bottom of the eighth, Eckelman blasted a two-run homer to push the lead to 7-2. The Huskers scored one in the top of the ninth, but drew no closer.
Eckelman paced the OSU lineup, hitting 3-for-4 with five RBI with a double, triple and home run. Chris Domke (5-5) locked down the NU lineup, throwing seven innings while allowing two runs (one earned) with four hits and two strikeouts. Gavin Blachowitz (4-2) took the loss, surrendering four earned runs in 4.2 innings pitched. Sanderson was 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead the Husker hitters.
Nebraska will try to salvage the final game of the series Sunday at Ohio State. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at 12:30 p.m. on KLIN.