LINCOLN, Neb. — Wichita State put the tying run into scoring position in the eighth and ninth innings but came up empty both times as Nebraska held on for a 5-4 win on Wednesday night at Haymarket Park.
The Shockers (6-11) out-hit the Huskers (7-8) 9-5, but left 11 runners on base and went just 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position as an early 4-0 deficit proved too much to overcome.
It was a rocky beginning for WSU starter Tyler Dobbs (0-1) who allowed the first five batters to reach base against him on three walks and a pair of hits. Cayden Brumbaugh’s RBI double and Gabe Swansen’s two-run single made it 3-0 before an out was recorded and a fielder’s choice later in the inning gave the Huskers a 4-0 advantage.
Dobbs settled down after the early salvo, ending his outing by retiring the final eight Nebraska hitters, part of a stretch in which WSU pitchers set down 12 in a row from the end of the first inning through the beginning of the fifth.
While the pitching staff was throwing up zeroes, the Shocker offense found the range with two runs in the second and one in the fifth to cut into the deficit. Kam Durnin opened the Shocker scoring in the second with a sacrifice fly and Camden Johnson rapped a two-out RBI single off Nebraska starter TJ Coats, cutting the lead in half at 4-2. In the fifth, Josh Livingston singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and came plateward on an RBI single from Lane Haworth that got WSU back within a run, 4-3.
Nebraska pushed the lead back to two in the bottom of the fifth, as Max Buettenback came off the bench to crack a pinch-hit solo homer for a 5-3 cushion.
The Shockers had two good scoring chances in the eighth and ninth innings but could only muster one run. In the eighth, Jaden Gustafson and Ryan Callahan opened the frame with singles against Nebraska lefty Jalen Worthley, followed by a sacrifice bunt to put runners at second and third with one out. Johnson lined a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Gustafson to cut the margin back to one, 5-4, but reliever Drew Christo stymied the threat with a strikeout to preserve the lead.
In the ninth, Livingston worked a leadoff walk against Nebraska closer Luke Broderick to put the tying run on base. Another sacrifice moved pinch-runner Kaleb Duncan to second, but the next two Shockers struck out to secure Broderick’s third save.
Gavin Blachowicz (1-0) picked up his first collegiate win for Nebraska with 1.1 scoreless innings in relief. The Shockers got good relief work of their own from Caleb Anderson, Jeremiah Arnett and Nick Potter, who allowed just one run over the final five innings.
Johnson led the Shockers with three hits, while Millan added two hits of his own.
Wichita State returns home on Friday for a three-game series against Louisiana Tech. First pitch of the series opener is scheduled for 6:00 pm CT.
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