Friday night in Lincoln was all about Brett Sears. The Nebraska baseball ace pitcher, who entered the weekend already top five in the Big Ten in both ERA (1.36) and strikeouts (47), went the distance in a complete-game shutout to lead the Huskers past Ohio State in Game 1 of their three-game series at Haymarket Park.
Sears (6-0) threw all nine innings on 115 pitches with 81 pitches thrown for strikes (70.4 percent). He allowed just two hits, did not surrender any walks and finished with a season-high 10 strikeouts to lead the No. 24-ranked Huskers (21-6, 4-0 Big Ten) past the Buckeyes (12-13, 2-2).
Sears' previous high was nine strikeouts against New Mexico State on March 22, and he started the year with four consecutive outings in which he fired seven strikeouts in each game.
Sears allowed a leadoff single to begin Friday's game and then induced an inning-ending double play two batters later to kick start a run where he recorded 13 outs in a row. He then allowed a one-out single in the fifth inning before proceeding to record 14 outs in a row to end the game.
Clockwork.
The Husker offense played small ball in the first inning, plating one run on a single, bunt single, walk and an RBI groundout on a double play. Josh Caron then provided the Huskers with a 3-0 lead in the third inning with a one-out, two run single to plate Cole Evans (1-for-1 with a single and three walks) and Cayden Brumbaugh (2-for-4 with two runs scored).
That was more than enough run support for Sears, who may have put in his most dominant end-to-end performance of the season thus far. In addition to his perfect 6-0 mark in eight starts, the Huskers' right-handed ace dropped his ERA down to 1.14 across 55.1 innings pitched, and he now has 57 strikeouts on the year.
Sears' 1.14 ERA over 55.1 innings sits No. 3 in the country, as of now, following his dominant showing against the Buckeyes.
1 – Florida State top starter Jamie Arnold (0.94 ERA over 47.2 innings), who allowed two earned runs over seven innings Friday night in a Seminoles win.
2 – East Carolina relief pitcher Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman (1.13 ERA over 32.0 innings), who allowed one earned run in two innings while earning a save Friday night against Florida Atlantic.
Sears entered Friday tied for No. 67 in the nation in total strikeouts. Entering Friday, there were four pitchers tied for the 12th-most in the country with 57 strikeouts. Sears will not rise that high in the national rankings in strikeouts, but he will have a good shot at moving into the top 50.
He will now get to put his feet up, if he so chooses, and support his teammates as the Huskers will look to make it a perfect 7-for-7 mark in weekend series this season when Game 2 begins at 12:05 p.m. CT on Saturday at Haymarket Park. The game was originally scheduled to start at 2:02 p.m. but has been moved up due to Saturday's weather forecast.
Saturday’s game can be seen on Nebraska Public Media/B1G+, with Larry Punteney and Jeff Leise on the call, while fans can also listen to Greg Sharpe and Ben McLaughlin call the action on the Huskers Radio Network.
