The Nebraska baseball team bolted out to a five-run lead and hung on to defeat Indiana, 6-5, Friday at Hawks Field in the opening game of a weekend, three-game Big Ten series. The Cornhuskers (20-6, 6-1 Big Ten) have now won 15 of their last 16 games while remaining undefeated at home.
A two-run home run by Max Buettenback got Nebraska on the board in the bottom of the second. In the third, Dylan Carey drove in a run on a single up the middle, then scored on a balk, pushing the Huskers’ lead to 4-0. A bases loaded hit-by-pitch drawn by Case Sanderson boosted NU’s lead to 5-0. The Hoosiers (10-15, 3-7 Big Ten) started to push their way back into the game, scoring four runs in the top of the sixth. Sanderson drew another bases loaded hit by pitch to grow the lead to 6-4 in the bottom of the sixth. IU scored a run in the top of the seventh, but drew no closer.
Ty Horn (1-1) earned the win, allowing two earned runs in five innings. J’Shawn Unger earned his third save of the year, throwing two no-hit, shutout innings. No Husker had more than one hit, but Buettenback and Sanderson each had two RBI.
Nebraska tries to clinch the series win Saturday at Hawks Field. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m, with pregame coverage at 1:30 p.m. on 105.3 the Bone.