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Gophers snap Husker win-streak in Game 1

The Huskers (12-8, 3-1 Big Ten) came into Friday's series with the Minnesota Gophers (10-13, 4-0 Big Ten) riding a six-game winning streak and an undefeated record in conference play.

The game saw a fierce pitching-duel between two of the conferences best pitchers in Matt Waldron (3-0, 2.04 ERA) and Max Meyer (2-1, 1.53 ERA) of the Gophers. The two pitchers combined for 16.0 IP allowing only four runs and two walks between the two of them and striking out a combined 18 batters. In the end, the two teams would need an extra inning to decide the winner with the Gophers eventually coming out on top by a score of 5-2.

Nebraska's Mojo Hagge started the game off with an exclamation point as the senior sent a ball over the fence to give the Huskers a 1-0 lead early on in the game.

The Gophers responded with a run of their own in the third inning when Eli Wilson singled to left field and scoring Drew Hmielewski. Minnesota would take the lead in the bottom of the fifth, thanks to an RBI single from Hmielewski, giving the Gophers a 2-1 lead.

The Huskers were able to fight their way back and tie this game back up at two apiece when Cam Chick sent a ball into left field, scoring Joe Acker from second when the cutoff man couldn't corral the throw from the outfield.

In the tenth, the Huskers would threaten with a pair of runners on base with only one out, but a pair of strikeouts from Husker batters would end that threat. Minnesota didn't want to waste any more time in extra innings and the game would end on a walk-off three-run home run from Wilson to secure the win.

Chick finished the day 2-4 and provided the tying run in the top of the seventh for the Huskers
Chick finished the day 2-4 and provided the tying run in the top of the seventh for the Huskers (Tyler Krecklow)
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Chick tries to rally Huskers to a win

On a day that featured a strong pitching duel, Cam Chick was one of the few Huskers who shined through and provided some crucial at-bats for his team. In the seventh, Chick singled into left field, scoring Acker from second base. The Gopher third baseman was unable to settle the ball and get a throw to the plate, giving Acker plenty of time to get the tying run across.

Chick gave his team another chance to take the game from the Gophers in the tenth when a one-out double hit off the wall in right-center field to put the Huskers in scoring position with an opportunity to take the lead in extra innings. Nebraska came away empty-handed, however, as two of the next three batters struck out and ended their chances of taking the lead in the tenth.

The Huskers were unable to come away with the win but Chick proved to be a vital piece to the Nebraska offense, giving his team a fighting chance down the line.

Husker pitchers keep the game close 

It's no secret that the past few Husker starting pitchers have kept Nebraska in their games and it continued tonight with Matt Waldron. Waldron was able to go eight full innings, giving up only two runs on eight hits and one walk. Waldron also recorded seven strikeouts, moving him into No. 9 in career strikeouts for Husker pitchers.

Head coach Darin Erstad was impressed with the way his senior starting pitcher performed tonight but noted that coming away with a win is all that matters. "Matt pitched well enough for us to win," Erstad said. "There's no consolation prize and participation ribbons for going against an All-American [in Max Meyers]. We had a chance to beat him and we let him off the hook."

Relief pitcher Robbie Palkert had a good day as well. In 1.1 innings, Palkert only allowed two hits but gave up the three-run blast to left field that would give the Gophers the win.

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