Nebraska defeats Arizona State 8-5 in Game 3
It was a hard fought rubber match on Sunday afternoon, as Nebraska (26-19, 13-8 Big Ten) defeated Arizona State 8-5 in the final game of the three-game series. It was the bats that helped the Huskers take Game 3 at Haymarket Park.
Reece Eddins led the Huskers through six innings before being relieved by Mike Waldron. Shay Schanaman checked in during the top of the eighth inning.
NU got things going defensively in the top of the first inning.
Luke Roskam and Alex Henwood connected and caught two runners stealing. Jaxon Hallmark snagged one in center field for a quick three-out inning.
Cam Chick gave the Huskers a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning with a homer to right field, and his third of the season.
An ASU run in the top of the second inning silenced Hawks Field.
Lyle Lin sent one over the right field fence to tie up the game 1-1. Drew Swift’s RBI single to right field plated one runner. An Eddins’ walk with bases loaded plated one more. The Sun Devils led 3-1 headed into the bottom of the second inning.
The Huskers gained momentum in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Schwellenbach broke the 3-3 tie and reached home on a wild pitch. Hallmark earned his second homerun this spring, and plated two runners. NU held a 7-3 lead entering the sixth inning.
Lin looked to help the Sun Devils in the top of the eighth inning with a solo home run, and his second of the game to cut the Husker lead 7-5.
It wasn’t enough.
Angelo Altavilla provided an insurance run for the Huskers in the bottom of the eighth inning. He brought in Aaron Palensky, giving NU its eighth run of the game.
Henwood has himself a day
Henwood had arguably one of his best offensive showings of the season on Sunday afternoon.
The senior tied up the game in the bottom of the second inning. After an Altavilla walk, Henwood sent one over the right field fence, plating Altavilla and evening out the game 3-3. It was his second homerun of the season.
His performance carried into the bottom of the fifth inning. Henwood’s double to right-center advanced Schwellenbach to third base. Schwellenbach went on to score, giving the Huskers a 4-3 lead.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Henwood stepped up to bat once more, but was intentionally walked by the ASU mound.
Henwood tallied one homerun, two RBI’s and scored two runs on three hits.
NU hit .273 as a team.
The mound
Eddins started the day out for the Huskers. He allowed three runs on six hits and recorded three strikeouts.
Waldron relieved Eddins in the top of the seventh inning, and Schanaman finished the afternoon out for NU. Eddins and Schanaman allowed two runs on three hits combined, and totaled three strikeouts.
What's next
Nebraska wraps up Big Ten play next weekend when it faces Michigan in a three-game series at Haymarket Park. First pitch is set for 7:35 p.m. CST on Thursday. Friday’s matchup begins at 8:05 p.m. CST and the series concludes on Sunday at 2:05 p.m. CST.
All games can be streamed on BTN and BTN2Go.