The Nebraska Cornhuskers got back on track Tuesday night as they picked up a 4-1 victory over the North Dakota State Bison.
The Huskers entered Tuesday’s game with one of the best offenses in the nation. NU ranked 10th in batting average, 14th and slugging percentage, 28th in home runs, and 45th in runs scored in the country.
Despite such great success from the plate this season, the Big Red offense struggled mightily to start the game. NU produced one hit through the first four innings of play.
Fortunately for NU, the Bison could not capitalize on their impressive pitching. Thanks to the incredible pitching from left-handed starter Will Walsh, NDSU scored just one run during Nebraska’s drought from the plate.
NDSU clenched onto their one-run lead until the fifth inning. Gabe Swansen got the Huskers going with a leadoff double and was brought home by a Ben Columbus single and a fielding error on Bison catcher Will Busch.
While NDSU was able to keep the potent offense in check, Walsh was spectacular. After giving up one run in the first, the lefty was lights out. Walsh ended the game with 7.0 innings pitched, 11 strikeouts, and one earned run.
Nebraska baseball has struggled mightily this season in Sunday games. The Huskers this season are 1-4 on Sundays this season and have given up a combined 47 runs in those contests. After his dominant performance tonight, Walsh may have proven to be the answer to the Big Red’s Sunday struggles.
Despite Walsh’s gem, heading into the bottom of the seventh, he was not eligible to be the winning pitcher with the score knotted up at 1.
That would change off of one swing of the bat.
With two outs and no runners on, Cole Evans reached on a hit by a pitch, and Casey Burnham continued the rally via catchers interference. Brice Matthews then stepped up to the plate and jumped on a first-pitch breaking ball, cranking it to left field for a three-run homerun giving NU a 4-1 lead.
Shay Schanaman, who entered the game for Walsh, closed it out for the Huskers, pitching 2.0 innings and striking out five batters.
The Huskers now move to 14-8-1 on the season. They’ll head south Saturday to face Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Abilene Christian.