Nebraska baseball saw its red-hot run come to a close on Friday in its home opener.
The Huskers, winners in six of their previous seven games, fell to South Alabama, 11-3, in Game 1 of a three-game homestand on Friday.
The Jags (11-3) busted the game open right out of the gate with a four-run first inning. Nebraska starter Drew Christo gave up three straight singles to start the game, tossed a wild pitch and then surrendered a three-run bomb to Jags cleanup hitter Lucas Ismalli for a 4-0 lead with no outs.
Christo (1-1) earned the Friday start after putting together back-to-back quality starts in which he allowed a combined four runs (three earned) and gave up 11 combined hits across 12.2 innings of work. Against South Alabama, though, Christo allowed seven runs (all earned) on seven hits with no walks and four strikeouts in taking the loss.
After the Jags offense jumped to the big lead after the first frame, Christo later allowed a two-run bomb in the top of the third, which Nebraska answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half.
The Huskers (7-4) chipped away at the Jags' lead – as was their m.o. last weekend when they rallied from deficits of three or more runs in all three games of a sweep over College of Charleston – utilizing a walk, hit batsman and a single to load the bases. Tyler Stone then knocked in a pair on a two-run single to trim the deficit to 6-2, but Josh Caron grounded into a 1-6-3 double play to end the threat.
South Alabama plated another off the third and final homer allowed by Christo – a solo shot in the fifth – but beyond that bomb neither squad got much going offensively until the ninth inning.
Already holding a 7-2 lead, the Jags tacked on four insurance runs with a leadoff solo homer and three runs with two outs on a pair of singles.
Rhett Stokes (3-for-4 with two doubles), who was one of the lone bright spots for Nebraska at the plate, scored on a fielder's choice for the final run of the game.
Nebraska put only six runners on base (and only three in scoring position) after its two-run third inning.
Nebraska entered the series ranked No. 6 nationally in the RPI rankings. Will Bolt's club reached that ranking after having gone 7-1 on the road and 1-2 in neutral games to start the season. The Jaguars, meanwhile, captured their first road win of the season during their first road game of the year and bounced back from having surrendered a one-run lead in the eighth inning of Wednesday night's 7-5 loss to New Orleans.
The Jags are on a similar streak as the Huskers. After Friday's win, they have now won seven of their last 10 games since Feb. 21 while Nebraska has now won six of its last eight games during the same 16-day stretch.
It will be bounceback time tomorrow for the Huskers.
Game 2 gets underway on Saturday with first pitch slated for 2:05 p.m. CT ahead of Game 3 on Sunday at 12:05 p.m. with both games available to stream on B1G+ and listen live at Huskers Radio Network.
The Game 2 pitching matchup will pit Nebraska RHP Brett Sears (1-0, 1.56 ERA) vs. South Alabama LHP Cam Hill (2-0, 1.13 ERA). Game 3 will feature Nebraska RHP Ty Horn (1-0, 1.35 ERA) vs. South Alabama RHP Cade Carlson (0-1, 6.55 ERA).
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