“Winners find a way to win.”
That’s what the Nebraska baseball social media account noted after the Huskers earned a comeback victory at Charleston Thursday afternoon. The 6-5 win improves NU to 5-3 while handing the Cougars their first loss of the season after starting 7-0.
Until the final inning, it was a tough day for the Big Red offense.
NU could not find a way to get past Charleston pitchers Hayden Thomas and Alex Lyon, who had accumulated two hits and six base runners through eight innings, respectively. Luckily for the Big Red, Drew Christo put together another quality start, allowing two earned runs through 6.2 innings, keeping the Huskers in striking distance.
Entering the ninth, Nebraska trailed 5-1, looking for a spark in the batter’s box.
They got it.
The first five batters of the final frame reached base for the Big Red, scoring two runs. Then the speedy Riley Silva stepped up and launched a two-RBI single into right field, tying the game at 5 apiece.
Silva swiped second but couldn’t come around to score as the two sides went into the 10th inning.
In the extra frame, it was Clay Bradford who played hero, rocking a leadoff double to start the inning and eventually scoring the winning run after a Cole Evans fielders choice. Tucker Timmerman notched the save for the Big Red in the bottom of the 11th.
Bradford, the senior from Humble, Texas, was 1-of-3 from the plate with a double, a walk, and two runs scored.
The series continues Friday at 3 p.m. CST.