Stillwater, Okla. – Playing in a NCAA Regional for the first time since 2008, the 2014 Nebraska baseball season came to an end on Sunday at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium following a 4-3 loss to the Cal State Fullerton Titans. It was the second loss in the tournament to the Titans, after CSF won 5-1 in the opening round on Friday.

Nebraska, who posted a 41-21 record in 2014, had the tying run in scoring position with two outs in the top of the ninth and Jake Placzek hit a line drive, but it was right at CSF second baseman Taylor Bryant for the final out of the game. The Huskers out-hit the Titans 8-5 on the afternoon, including a pair of hits from Austin Darby.

The pain of the season-ending loss was amplified by the fact at all four of Fullerton’s runs were unearned, as the Huskers committed three errors on the day.

Junior Aaron Bummer gave the Huskers 6.1 innings, and allowed just five hits and two walks, while striking out four. CSF starter Grahamm Wiest went 8.0 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and no walks, while striking out five. J.D. Davis closed the game out for his seventh save of the year.

After Wiest retired the Huskers in order to start the game, CSF’s offense gave its starter a 2-0 lead. Tyler Stieb led off the home half of the first with a single, then Bummer committed a costly error on a sacrifice bunt by Keegan Dale and Davis singled to load the bases. Bummer came back on got consecutive pop outs that would have ended the inning without the error, but instead Clay Williamson got a shot to hit and came through with a two-RBI single.

The Titans were in position to tack on more runs in the second when Bummer issued a two-out walk that brought Davis to the plate with two on. Bummer dug in and struck out CSF’s No. 3 hitter swinging to keep Fullerton’s lead at 2-0.

Wiest retired the first nine Huskers he faced until Ryan Boldt broke the streak with leadoff double in the fourth, his third extra-base hit of the tournament. Nebraska played small ball and Steven Reveles laid down a sacrifice bunt that was followed by a sacrifice fly from Michael Pritchard to put Nebraska on the scoreboard. Pat Kelly then lined a two-out single to put the tying run on base, but Wiest retired Blake Headley to keep the Titans ahead, 2-1.

Bummer retired Fullerton’s 2-3-4 hitters in the bottom of the fifth and NU’s offense followed with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth to give the Huskers a 3-2 lead. Reveles got the inning started with a one-out single and then Pritchard executed a hit-and-run that put runners on the corners with one down. Pritchard then swiped second to put a pair of Huskers in scoring position, but NU wouldn’t need a hit to tie the game as Wiest buried a pitch into the dirt, allowing Reveles to score on the wild pitch. Kelly then reached second on a fielder’s choice, as Pritchard was cut down in a run down between third and home on a ground ball. With two outs, Weist got ahead of Headley 1-2, but the junior from Omaha wouldn’t be denied as he came through with a RBI single that gave the Huskers their first lead of the day.

With the lead, Bummer came out and retired the Titans in order in the sixth. After retiring nine straight Titans, Bummer hit Jared Deacon to start the bottom of the seventh and then allowed Bryant to reach on a sacrifice bunt that Bummer was unable to field, his second error of the game. Stieb moved both runners into scoring position and then Reveles committed an error at short that allowed the tying run to score. With Davis coming to the plate and runners on the corners, NU went to relieve Bob Greco. The senior gifted the Titans a run when he was called for a balk, just the fourth balk this season by a Husker pitcher. Greco limited the damage though by striking out Davis and getting Matt Chapman to fly out.

Nebraska went down in order in the eighth, but then just like they have all season they continued to fight. Down to NU’s final out, Darby single and then moved into scoring position when pinch-hitter Ben Miller was HBP. Placzek stepped in and nearly extended the game, but his line drive couldn’t find the outfield.

— NU Sports Information —

Stillwater, Okla. – Trailing by one run and two outs away from the end of the 2014 season, Nebraska’s offense rallied for three runs in the top of the ninth inning on its way to a 8-6 win over the Binghamton Bearcats in an elimination game on Saturday afternoon at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium. The No. 19 Huskers are now 41-20 on the year, and will continue NCAA Tournament play tomorrow at 12:05 p.m. against the loser of tonight’s game between Cal State Fullerton and Oklahoma State.

The Huskers have now won 16 games this season when they have been behind or tied after the sixth inning, as the Bearcats took a 6-5 lead after plating three runs in the bottom of the sixth. The win also marked the 11th time this year the Huskers have won after taking the lead in their final at-bat of the game.

Nebraska’s first five hitters combined to go 12-for-23 with seven RBIs and six runs scored, including three-hit performances from both Ryan Boldt and Blake Headley. Nebraska walked just one time on the day, but also didn’t strikeout in 38 at-bats.

After the Bearcats took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the sixth, the Huskers produced just one base runner over the next 2.1 innings. Following Austin Darby’s fly out to start the top of the ninth, freshman Ben Miller worked NU’s first walk of the game and was replaced on the base paths by Ty Kildow. Jake Placzek came through with a bloop single and on the play Kildow took two bases to put the tying run 90 feet from home with one out for the top of NU’s lineup coming to the plate. Binghamton turned the ball over to hard-throwing reliever Mike Bunal, but Boldt continued to swing a hot stick and picked up his fifth hit of the tournament, a game-tying RBI single. Nebraska then dialed up a safety squeeze that Steven Reveles executed perfectly, allowing Placzek to score the go-ahead run. The Huskers weren’t done though, as Michael Pritchard delivered a RBI single to center field that scored Boldt to put the Huskers ahead 8-6. Pat Kelly followed with his second hit of the game and Blake Headley reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases, but Bunal was able to put an end to the damage with a 6-3 groundout off the bat of Tanner Lubach.

Zach Hirsch climbed the mound for the Huskers in the ninth to face the top of Binghamton’s lineup after retiring the Bearcats in order in both the seventh and eighth innings. Hirsch retired the first two Bearcat batters he faced before Daniel Nevares gave Binghamton hope with a two-out single. Shaun McGraw stepped to the plate as the game-tying run and got ahead in the count 3-0 before Hirsch fired a strike and then got McGraw to bounce into an game-ending 5-3 putout.

Hirsch earned the win and improved to 5-2 on the year after tossing a season-high 3.1 innings. It was his longest outing since March 23 of last season when he also threw 3.1 innings of relief at Illinois.

The Huskers had to rally after jumping out to a 4-0 lead through two innings. Nebraska’s offense scored three runs on four hits in the top of the first and the Huskers tagged on a run in the top of the second to push their lead to 4-0.

After not getting a runner past first base through the first three innings, the Bearcats broke through in the fourth with three runs on four hits. Binghamton’s first three batters each produced a hit, including a double by Nevares. NU starter Austin Christensen’s day came to an end after he gave up a sacrifice fly to Reed Gamache that cut NU’s lead to 4-2. Bob Greco came on and walked the first batter he faced, but got some help from his defense for the second out of the inning. John Howell tried to lay down a squeeze bunt, but Headley got to the ball quickly from first base and was able to toss the ball to Lubach at home to cut down McGraw. In a position to get out of the inning still up two runs, Greco instead gave up a double to Darian Herncane that escaped a diving catch from Boldt in right-center field. With the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position, Greco got a fly ball to end the Bearcats’ three-run frame.

The Huskers got one run back in the top of the fifth, starting with Boldt’s second triple of the weekend. The freshman centerfielder scored two batters later on a sacrifice fly by Pritchard that put the Huskers ahead by two, 5-3.

Binghamton put together its second three-run inning of the game in the bottom of the six to take a 6-5 lead, with all three runs unearned. Freshman reliever Jake Hohensee walked Gamache and then gave up a single to Brendan Skidmore. Howell then laid down a bunt and Hohensee had Gamache at third base, but instead threw the ball into foul territory that cut NU’s lead to one. No. 9 hitter Eddie Posavec tied the game with a ground out and then Hohensee’s day came to an end after leadoff hitter Zach Blanden walked to put runners on the corners. Hirsch took the mound and gave up a RBI single to Bill Bereszniewicz, his third of the day, putting the Bearcats ahead, 6-5.

After Binghamton starter Greg Ostner had retired eight straight Huskers, Headley broke the streak with a two-out double in the eighth. With the tying run in scoring position, Ostner kept the Bearcats on top by inducing an inning-ending fly ball off the bat of Lubach. Ostner got the first out of the ninth before giving up a walk and a hit. On the day he went 8.1 innings and allowed seven runs on 11 hits and one walk.

Nebraska’s 41 wins are the most by a Husker team since 2008 when NU also won 41 games. Nebraska last won more than 41 games in 2006, when the Huskers posted a 42-17 record.

— NU Sports Information —

Stillwater, Okla. – Playing in a NCAA Regional for the first time since 2008, the Nebraska baseball team (40-20) dropped a 5-1 decision to the Cal State Fullerton Titans (33-22) on Friday afternoon at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium.

The game was a pitcher’s duel for most of the day, with four of the game’s six runs coming in the eighth inning. With the game tied 1-1 and the bases empty with two outs in the top of the eighth, the Titans loaded the bases and their No. 3 hitter J.D. Davis smashed a grand slam well over the left-field fence to put the Titans on top 5-1.

Both starters went 6.1 innings and put together strong outings, but neither factored into the decision. NU’s Chance Sinclair allowed just one unearned run on two hits, a walk and four strikeouts, while CSF’s Thomas Eshelman gave up one run on seven hits and a walk, while striking out five.

After being tabbed as a third-team All-American on Thursday morning, Sinclair showed why he deserved the national honor. The junior took a no hitter into the seventh, when Davis broke it up with a line-drive single to left field. Sinclair retired the first 14 batters he faced before he issued a two-out walk in the fifth. On the day, Sinclair retired the Titans in order five times.

Nebraska entered the day 31-1 on the year when outhitting their opponent, with the only loss coming in the second game of the season against Oregon State. NU’s record dropped to 31-2 after outhitting the Titans, 9-5. Eight of Nebraska’s starters notched a hit on the afternoon, including a pair of hits by freshman Ryan Bolt.

Nebraska was in position to scores the game’s first run in the bottom of the third when Austin Christensen led off with a single and Steven Reveles laid down a sacrifice bunt that put Christensen in scoring position for the top of NU’s lineup with one out. Eshelman didn’t let Christensen advance any farther though, as the sophomore righty got Boldt and Austin Darby each to pop out to end the third.

Sinclair was perfect through 4.2 innings, as he retired the first 14 Titan batters he faced. The Titans got their first base runner of the game when Tanner Pinkston worked a four-pitch walk. Sinclair went right back to work and got Austin Diemer to pop out for the final out of the CSF fifth.

Boldt nearly untied the scoreless game with one swing to lead off the bottom of the sixth, but the fly ball hit the wall in right-center field and the freshman had to settle for a leadoff triple, his fifth of the season. Two pitches later Darby delivered a RBI groundout to second base that put the Huskers ahead 1-0. With one down, Michael Pritchard and Pat Kelly notched consecutive line-drive singles, but Eshelman kept the damage to one run with a strikeout and a fly out.

The Titans evened the game, 1-1, in the top of the seventh on an unearned run. Keegan Dale led off the frame with a ground ball to Christensen at first, but Christensen bobbled the ball and Dale reached on the error that would prove costly. Davis then broke up Sinclair’s no hitter with a single to left that put Dale in scoring position. Sinclair got a pop out for the first out of the inning, but David Olemdo-Barrera came through with a RBI single up the middle that tied the game 1-1. With the go-ahead run at second base with one out, Nebraska went to senior Zach Hirsch. The lefty calmed the waters and kept the game tied 1-1, as he got pinch-hitter Greg Velazquez to bounce into a 5-3 inning-ending double play.

Nebraska was in business in the bottom of the seventh after Reveles executed a hit-and-run and put runners on the corners with one down. Boldt then worked a four-pitch walk that loaded the bases for NU’s 2-3-4 hitters. CSF reliever Koby Gauna was able to escape the jam by getting Darby to pop up and Pritchard to fly out.

The Titans then loaded the bases in the top of the eight with two outs and Nebraska’s pitching staff was unable to what CSF’s bullpen. After Hirsch gave up a full-count walk to Dale that loaded the bases, NU brought in Josh Roeder to face Davis, a right-handed batter. The CSF right fielder blew the game open for the Titans when he blasted a 1-1 offering from Roeder for a grand slam to left field.

The Huskers got one hit over their final two at-bats, and were unable to put together a late rally like they have done so many times this year.

The Huskers fall to the loser’s bracket and will play tomorrow at 12:05 p.m.

— NU Sports Information —

Omaha – Headed into the bottom of the ninth down by three runs, the No. 20 Nebraska baseball team (38-18) plated four runs in its final at-bat, capped by a walk-off sacrifice fly by Tanner Lubach, on its way to a 7-6 opening-round victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes (30-27) in front of one of the largest crowds in Big Ten Tournament history. The win sets up a 5 p.m. meeting tomorrow with the Michigan State Spartans, who opened the tournament with a 2-1 victory over Illinois.

The victory was the Huskers’ sixth walk-off of the season and marked the 14th time this season the Huskers have won a game when they trailed or were tied after the sixth inning.

After cutting OSU’s lead in half in the fifth with three runs, the Huskers didn’t have a base runner over the next three innings. With All-American closer Trace Dempsey on the mound in the ninth, freshman Ben Miller snapped the streak with a leadoff walk and was replaced on the bases by fellow freshman Quinn McGill. Dempsey then hit Steven Reveles and walked Ryan Boldt to load the bases with no out. With a right hander on the mound, Darin Erstad called on lefty Christian Cox to pinch hit and the junior worked a full count, but struck out for the first out of the inning. Michael Pritchard was up next and worked a four-pitch walk to force home NU’s first run of the inning. With clean-up hitter Pat Kelly due up and the tying run at second base, the Buckeyes turned the ball over to Tyler Giannonatti. Kelly, who was named first-team All-Big Ten for the second straight season on Monday, came through with a two-RBI game-tying single, his third hit of the day. The Buckeyes then intentionally walked Blake Headley to load the bases and setup a potential double-play ball, but the game was not meant for extra innings as Lubach lifted a 1-0 offering from Giannonatti into shallow center field and Pritchard beat a throw home by Troy Montgomery to complete the Husker comeback.

The improbable comeback marked the fourth time this season the Huskers have defeated the Buckeyes in their final at-bat of the game.

Kelly was 3-for-5 with three RBIs to lead the Huskers, while Pritchard chipped in a pair of RBIs without getting a hit. Kelly leads the Huskers with 21 multi-hit games and 16 multi-RBI games on the year.

The ninth-inning rally wouldn’t have been possible without the work of Nebraska’s bullpen. Following OSU’s six-run fourth inning, three Husker relievers combined to allow just one hit over 5.0 scoreless innings. Luke Bublitz tossed a scoreless fifth before Jeff Chesnut and Austin Christensen each threw 2.0 innings of relief, including a pair of perfect innings from Christensen, who earned the win to improve to 3-0 on the year.

After the teams combined to score no runs on four hits through the first three innings, the Buckeyes broke the game open in the top of the fourth. OSU sent 11 batters to the plate and scored six runs on six hits. Aaron Gretz got the scoring started when he dropped a base-loaded double on the left-field line that scored two runs. The Buckeyes then executed a squeeze bunt and NU starter Chance Sinclair saw his day come to an end after Gretz scored on a wild pitch. Bob Greco took the mound and gave up three straight singles that scored a pair of runs before getting Pat Porter to bounced into an inning-ending fielder’s choice.

The Huskers cut OSU’s lead in half in the bottom of the fifth with three runs, starting with an RBI double by Jake Placzek. Pritchard then hit a dribbler out in front of the plate and OSU Tanner Tully tried to cut down Reveles at home, but the Husker shortstop slid under Gretz’s tag for the second run of the inning. Kelly kept the runs coming with an RBI single, before Tully got Headley to fly out for the second out of the inning. Tully, the 2014 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, then walked Lubach to load the bases, just his seventh walk of the season in 91.0 innings of work. With the tying runs on bases, Austin Darby stepped to the plate and was unable to keep the rally going with his third strikeout of the game.

Nebraska and Michigan State meet in Thursday’s winner bracket game at 5 p.m. on the Big Ten Network, with the winner getting Friday off and moving to Saturday’s 9 a.m. game against a team from the loser’s bracket.

— NU Sports Information —

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — After watching his team turn the ball over nine times and fall behind by three points at halftime, Ohio State coach Thad Matta had some choice words for the No. 24 Buckeyes.

“I told our guys at halftime, I said, ‘Look, with the nine turnovers we had, why don’t we just go out and give them the ball nine times and let them try to score,'” Matta said. “And they took me literally, so we were down 18 points.”

The fifth-seeded Buckeyes (25-8) found themselves in a deep hole, but rallied to beat fourth-seeded Nebraska 71-67 on Friday in the Big Ten quarterfinals.

Ohio State led for almost the entire first half, but the Cornhuskers (19-12) stuck around. Playing after a first-round bye for the first time since joining the Big Ten in 2012, Nebraska finally took its first lead on Shavon Shields’ layup with 48 seconds to play in the first half.

That put Nebraska in front 29-28 and, after a missed 3-pointer by LaQuinton Ross, Ray Gallegos hit a jumper at the other end to send Nebraska into halftime with a 31-28 lead.

Nebraska scored the first five points of the second half to build a 36-28 lead, prompting an Ohio State timeout.

The Buckeyes’ struggles at the free-throw line in the first 2 minutes of the second half didn’t help their cause. Amir Williams and Sam Thompson were both 0 for 2 in that stretch.

“We opened up the second half and we had three fouls in two minutes and ten seconds, and we missed four straight free throws,” Matta said. “You know, Aaron (Craft) missed a layup, Trey (McDonald) missed an attempt to dunk, and it was like, my gosh.”

Ross hit a jumper to make it 36-30, but a 12-0 Nebraska run gave the Cornhuskers an 18-point lead with 13:45 to play.

Ross was called for a technical foul for shoving during that run.

“He said he got hit in the face on the drive. We’re working with him on that,” Matta said.

That’s when the Buckeyes kicked it in.

“I think we played with more energy when we saw we were down 18, and we started picking up our full court (pressure),” Amedeo Della Valle said.

Ross and Della Valle scored the game’s next nine points to cut Nebraska’s lead in half, to 48-39.

After turning the ball over just three times in the first half, Nebraska had eight turnovers in the second half.

“They were turning us over, speeding us up, getting us out of operating areas,” Shields said. “We weren’t executing on offense, weren’t making plays on defense, giving up offensive boards. We just kind of fell apart, which is really embarrassing on our part and unacceptable.”

“Unfortunately, I thought we beat ourselves,” Nebraska coach Tim Miles said. “You have to credit Ohio State with their pressure late. In the last 13 minutes they really did an excellent job of getting us rattled.”

Both teams reached the double bonus with 9:36 to play and the score 54-44 Nebraska. Ohio State closed to 58-56 on a Thompson dunk with 4:42 to play.

Pitchford hit a 3-pointer to put Nebraska ahead 61-56. But after two free throws by Aaron Craft and two free throws by Shields, Della Valle hit a 3-pointer with 2:47 to play to pull Ohio State back within 63-61. Petteway fouled Ross on a dunk attempt, and Ross hit both free throws to tie the game at 63 with 1:52 to play.

Nebraska couldn’t get a good look at the other end, then Petteway fouled out while defending Ross. His two free throws put Ohio State ahead 65-63.

Ross finished with career-highs in points (26) and rebounds (13) to lead Ohio State into a semifinal matchup Saturday with top-seeded and eighth-ranked Michigan. The Wolverines defeated No. 9 seed Illinois 64-63 in Friday’s first quarterfinal. Della Valle added 12 points for the Buckeyes.

Petteway led Nebraska with 20 points. Pitchford scored 15 and Shields added 12 points as the Cornhuskers fell to 1-3 in the Big Ten tournament.

“At the end of the day, when you have a lead like that, you should be able to hold it, keep it and find a way to win, but unfortunately we weren’t able to,” Miles said. “Credit them, but at the end of the day, I’m going to put this one on us and me and not finding a better way to attack their pressure.”

— Associated Press —

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Facing third-and-14 at the 1, Nebraska had a choice: Sneak the ball in hopes of getting a little extra room to punt or take a shot deep.

The Cornhuskers chose to throw – and boy did they wing it.

Tommy Armstrong Jr. connected with Quincy Enunwa for a 99-yard touchdown strike- the longest play in school history – and Nebraska held on to beat No. 23 Georgia 24-19 in the rain-soaked Gator Bowl on Wednesday.

”I know one thing: There will never be a longer play in the history of college football than that one,” Cornhuskers coach Bo Pelini said. ”That was a big play for us.”

Equally big were Georgia’s failures down the stretch. The Bulldogs (8-5) dropped two fourth-down passes in the closing minutes, helping Nebraska (9-4) close out its first bowl victory since 2009.

Nebraska, playing in its 50th bowl, also ended a four-game losing streak against teams from the Southeastern Conference. The streak included a 45-31 loss to Georgia in the Capital One Bowl last season.

The rematch was much different.

Nebraska did a solid job against running back Todd Gurley, who ran for 125 yards and a touchdown last year. Gurley finished with 86 yards on the ground.

Gurley was more effective in the passing game, catching seven passes for 97 yards. His 25-yard scoring reception to open the fourth quarter cut Nebraska’s lead to 24-19.

The Bulldogs had two really good chances to take the lead, but Rantavious Wooten and Arthur Lynch dropped fourth-down passes in the red zone.

”I think I turned my head at the last second and was thinking end zone,” Lynch said. ”It’s one of those situations. It’s not so much I dropped the pass. It’s that I let my team down. At the end of the day, it’s one of those things that you can never forget, brush off your shoulders.

”It’s a win or a loss, and we lost. But I will never able to forget this one. If I run that play 49 more times, I make the catch.”

The drops capped Georgia’s woes. The Bulldogs moved inside the 21 seven times, but settled for four field goals.

The final two were costly.

Wooten dropped a fourth-and-2 pass around the 10 with 4:42 remaining. Georgia got the ball back with 3:18 to play and marched toward the end zone. But Lynch couldn’t haul in a fourth-and-3 pass that would have moved the chains with about 25 seconds remaining.

”That (stinks),” Gurley said. ”To go all the way down there like that and on fourth down you just give it to them, that’s a bad feeling right there.”

Nebraska ran out the clock from there and then celebrated wildly all over the field.

Enunwa was named the game’s Most Valuable Player – and for good reason.

He recorded the longest play in Nebraska and Gator Bowl history.

After a timeout to discuss options on third and long, Armstrong dropped back and heaved the ball as far as he could to Enunwa, who was streaking wide open down the left sideline. Georgia cornerback Shaq Wiggins let Enunwa go, but got no safety help. Quincy Mauger had a chance to tackle Enunwa, but bounced off him just past midfield.

Enunwa coasted the rest of the way.

”It was kind of just one of those calls where you don’t have too many options out there, stuck on your own 1-yard line,” Enunwa said. ”Luckily our coaches trust in us as playmakers.”

Enunwa finished with four receptions for 129 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a 5-yard TD reception in the second quarter. The second was his 12th scoring catch of the season, breaking the school record of 11 set by Johnny Rodgers in 1971.

Armstrong, filling in for injured starter Taylor Martinez, completed 6 of 14 passes for 163 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception.

Ameer Abdullah ran 27 times for 122 yards and a score. It was his 11th 100-yard game of the season.

Turnovers – along with those dropped passes – were the difference.

Reggie Davis muffed a punt deep in Georgia territory in the second quarter and Nebraska scored two plays later. The Huskers also turned Hutson Mason’s lone interception into a touchdown.

Mason, making his second straight start in place of injured starter Aaron Murray, completed 21 of 39 passes for 320 yards, with a touchdown and an interception.

”I don’t think anybody wants to go out there and slosh around,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. ”But I thought Hutson, as time went on and got used to the elements, did a really good job.”

— Associated Press —