Huskers' bats on fire, thrash UC Riverside in opener, 21-6

Just like Nebraska weather, the Huskers flipped from cold and desolate in scoring to red HOT. Three straight multiple run innings put this one far out of reach for the UC Riverside Highlanders, as Nebraska won its season opener, 21-6.

Darin Erstad, now in his 8th season, got the best of former Los Angeles Angels teammate Troy Percival in game one of a four-game series. However, things certainly weren’t easy for Nebraska, as some messy defense and cold bats put them down 5-3. Innings four, five and six were swift and empty.

That was, until, a key moment in the top of the 7th from Nebraska's second, third and cleanup hitters.

After a messy 4th inning, and an ugly cold streak, the Huskers looked like they may just drop the opener in California. Down 5-3, not much was going right since a two-error mess gave the Highlanders the lead. Then, metal started clanging and the scoreboard was lighting up for Erstad’s squad. Angelo Altavilla started things off with a grounder between the left side fielders. Hellstrom followed up with a hard grounder toward second that couldn’t be handled.

Aaron Palensky got the first RBI with another grounder that leaked into left. That caused a pitching change for Percival, as RHP Jared Noonan was called in. The senior couldn’t help, as Roskam hit a single on the following at-bat. Cam Chick found himself with another K, which pushed the inning to two outs with bases loaded.

Jaxon Hallmark came in clutch and delivered with a hit into shallow center that drove in two to give the Huskers the lead, 6-5. Mojo Hagge kept rolling as he snuck one down the third-base line for another two-out, two-RBI single. Acker followed that one with another RBI and at that junction it was 9-5 for the Big Red. As the final score shows, the rest of the game seemed to be merely academic.

The Huskers scored 21 runs on 20 hits tonight, the most runs they’ve scored since… last year, funny enough. Nebraska scored 22 against Cal Poly on March 10, 2018. They also had 20 hits last on May 5, 2018, against Maryland. Most everyone was a contributor in some form, whether it was taking hits or hitting dingers into the outfield.

Jaxon Hallmark was rolling, going 4-5 with 5 RBIs and two runs scored. This all coming off of a wrist injury that limited him and threw his swing off in preseason training. Ten Huskers had at least one hit, with Mojo Hagge coming off the bench for three hits.

Schwellenbach was absent tonight. Couldn’t find contact until the 9th. Went 1-for-6 overall, and was the final batter in one or two innings. He did get credit for taking a ball to the back and driving in a run in the 3rd. The lack of offense from the freshman isn't as big of a concern when everyone else was hot, but the lead-off batter surely can’t be happy about his individual performance. Chick was also a little cold.

He was the only person without a base hit, which was surprising considering that the Huskers batted around in the final three innings. The 8th and 9th innings drove in seven and five runs, respectively.

For Nebraska, it was a tale of two pitchers who both craved the feel of coming back, as both missed last season due to Tommy John Surgery.

It was Chad Leunsmann who got the ball first, and delivered a good opening inning, three up, three down. It wasn't until the third where things got ugly for him. Leunsmann had a ball come right towards him with two outs, and he fumbled and threw low to first which kept Travis Bohall safe for UC Riverside. What would have ended the inning became a two-run lifeline for the Highlanders, putting them behind by just a run.

Then, in one of the ugliest moments of the game, a 4th inning hit by Sanchez was grabbed by Chick, thrown wide of home base and then throw wide again to a covering Leunsmann. Three runs came in that inning with two errors.

On the other side of the coin, Connor Cury came in during the 4th and limited the destruction. He followed it up with a clean 5th and 7th innings, earning the W with 4 IP.

Ben Klenke pitched the final two, allowing just one garbage time run in the 9th.

The Huskers are back in action tomorrow against UC Riverside in a doubleheader, with game one scheduled for 2 p.m. CT and game two after.

You can listen or watch online at BigWest.TV.

PROBABLE GAME 1 PITCHERS: RHP Reece Eddins (1-0, 9.00) vs. RHP Cole Percival (5-4, 3.19)

PROBABLE GAME 2 PITCHERS: LHP Nate Fisher (1-5, 7.24) vs. RHP Jared Noonan (2-5, 4.86)